Twin Fates
by BullardCR
Summary: Is Shinji truly the only destined one? What if there was another? Is the post Impact world big enough for the both of them?
1. Chapter I: Dreams and Revelations

I do not own the rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, or any of the characters, equipment, or locations written in this fanfiction. The purpose of this fanfiction is merely for the non-profit enjoyment of other readers. If requested by Gainax, Hideki Anno, or other parties which represent aforementioned objects in this story, I will remove it promptly.

**Prologue:**

Gendo Ikari growled, delivering a swift right hook to his brother's jaw. "What do you _mean_ you lost him?" Shinji stood beside his father and cried, duffel bag in hand, wondering what became of Raidon. "If Yui were here, she would _beg_ me to kill you!"

"They're twins!" the elder Rokubungi snapped. "I must have seen Shinji twice, and just thought it was the both of them! For God's sake, they wear the same clothes!"

"That's so they don't get LOST!" the younger Rokubungi roared, gripping his elder brother by the collar, delivering another blow to the jaw. "I swear, if he is not found within two days, I will have your head!" The newly appointed commander thought for a few minutes. He could not trust his brother to watch over his remaining son, not now. He thought back through all the possible contacts he had, back to the acquaintance of his, that friend of Yui's who graduated with a teaching degree from that American university, and was living in Tokyo-2 at this time.

With a cold, remorseless tone, Gendo made his decision. "Shinji, you will live with a friend of your mother's. Until your brother is found, until it is safe, you cannot trust anyone from our family. Do you understand?" The boy clearly did not, now clinging to his father's leg, desperately wishing to stay with him. "SHINJI!" the man hollered. In an instant, the man was down on his knee, looking his son cooly in the eye. "Where I am going, you or Raidon cannot follow, not until the time is right."

Shinji nodded slightly, and still sobbing, accompanied his father to the waiting black Mercedes with the government flags waving in the cold breeze. "We will find your brother, Shinji," his father growled. "I swear it!"

**Chapter I:**

The young Ikari awoke from the night terror with a start, sweat soaking through his boxers and undershirt. He wiped his brow with his left palm as he tried to slow his breathing. Rising to his feet, he slumped to the door. Food would not settle his still churning stomach, but it would help replenish the expensed calories.

As he reached his door, there was a pounding from the opposite end, the silhouette of a girl in a very short night gown and long hair trying her best to restrain her temper. Shinji opened the door cautiously, which seemed too slow for his counterpart on the other side. She burst into the room, staring him down. "Just _what_ is all that racket?" Asuka huffed. "You almost woke the whole neighborhood!"

"Leave me alone!" Shinji snapped back, taking the girl by surprise. He was still partly asleep, the world of dreams and the world of reality mixing, distorting his senses. Realizing suddenly his mistake, allowing the words he left to be expressed only in his nocturnal illusions to be heard in this world, by these people, he apologized. "Sorry, Asuka," he sighed.

"Don't apologize!" she retorted. "You finally stand up for yourself, and you back down so quickly? Sheesh, what kind of man do you hope to be?" Then she smelled the sweat, and observed the dark stains over his clothes. "Shinji..." she whispered, now aware of muffled thumps coming from Misato's room. "Shinji... what is this? What's wrong?"

"It's... something I just remembered," Shinji explained.

•••••••••••••

"How could you possibly forget about a brother?" Asuka whined softly, trying to remain stealthy in the dark confines of the apartment's kitchen. She would not receive an answer for a few moments, she realized, as Shinji had chosen just that moment to stuff his face with the improvised sandwich made in the American style. Soryu was amazed the quantity of lunch meats and cheeses packed in between the two slices of white bread. "How can you eat that much?"

Shinji shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, choosing to answer the second question first. "They're... very bad dreams," he whispered. "I burn a lot of calories if they're really bad." He didn't know why he felt comfortable around her, telling the Second Child his secrets, but after the incident with the Fourteenth Angel, his body finally recovered, something in the back of his mind stirred him to work harder, to make an effort. "I don't remember a lot of what happened when I was younger, before my mother died. But there are nights like this, when something comes back to me, just for a moment, then vanishes." He set the sandwich down on its plate, taking a deep swig of tap water. "Do you know what it's like to be found three blocks from home in your pajamas at two in the morning, screaming about things you can't even remember?"

She knew her dreams were intense, but not that intense. She had broken the habit of her neuromuscular system remaining active during her sleep years before. It was ironic, the German thought, how their situations were reversed. Here was a boy that wanted to remember the things he dreamt of, the things that scared the living daylights out of him, and here she was, wanting to forget the one thing she constantly dreamt of. "Once," the girl answered hesitantly. "It happened once, but I made it stop."

"Where did you end up?" Shinji asked, surprised there was something they could both relate to.

"My... mother's home office," the girl explained. "My _real_ mother..."

"I'm sorry," Shinji answered instinctively.

Asuka shook her head, too groggy to be angry. "It isn't your fault, Shinji. Quit apologizing for things you can't control." She set her head on the kitchen countertop, slumping in the wooden bar stool. Shinji tried to stir the girl, shaking her left arm just below the shoulder. "Let me sleep, Baka," she grumbled.

"In the kitchen?"

Asuka nodded. She hated sleeping in bed. While the girl knew it was important to keep her skeletal structure healthy and avoid back problems in the future, the dream always found her in bed. It was only in the places one did not usually sleep, the places where she recovered her rest in an improvised fashion that the dream did not follow her.

"At least move to the couch so you can lie down," he grumbled. "You're going to feel horrible in the morning, sleeping like that." He spoke as though having experience, which he did. The occasions when the dreams followed him, he found himself in that very stool weeks before the girl's arrival, the cramps in his muscles nagging him for two days afterwards.

She did not know why he bothered, why he continued to care, but when Asuka Langely Soryu awoke again, checking the VCR clock for the time, she found herself in the living room couch, a light blanket from Shinji's room draped over her. Then the soles of her bare feet felt the toes of the Third Child, the boy cramped in a fetal position at the opposite end of the sofa. "Baka," she grumbled. "You'll regret lying like that in the morning."

Against all her emotional defenses, the girl rose to her feet, lifted the blanket, and pulled her roommate's legs to their full, extended length, before rolling him over on his back. Then, as quietly as possible, she returned to her portion of the couch, and trying as best to keep the boy's limbs from coming too close to her body, returned to the nocturnal world.

•••••••••••••

Misato jabbed at the two sleeping Children in the morning, trying to stifle a giggle as she mused over how cute the pair looked. Asuka was the first to awaken, cringing as her vision came into focus. "Sleep well?" Misato grinned.

"Don't even start, Misato!" Soryu grumbled. "The only reason I'm out here is because I fell asleep after the Baka woke me up last night!" Somehow, that didn't come out right, the redhead thought. She didn't wait for the woman to reply with an innuendo. "His nightmares were so bad, he nearly woke the entire neighborhood! Were you just too drunk to hear it?" She couldn't help but take another jab at the major when she could.

Katsuragi ignored the commentary, focusing more at the significant events of the prior night. She sighed, running her fingers through the boy's hair. "Hopefully they were better than the last batch," she breathed. "Asuka, if I call the school and report you both as sick, can you watch him for the day?"

Soryu raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?" The lavender-haired woman, however, did not answer at first. Instead, she walked back to the fridge, retrieving the small bottle of prescription tablets. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" the girl shouted, before remembering the sleeping Child on the couch. Glancing at the VCR display, it was an hour before the both of them were expected to be in class.

Misato returned with the bottle of pills in hand, handing them to the girl. "If he's depressed-" she began. "Well, if he's depressed more than usual, make him take these. The instructions are on the label. I have to work a double-shift, so I can't take time off to observe him if there are any... difficulties."

"Difficulties?" Asuka ashed. She then studied the label on the bottle. "Hey, what the hell is this?" she screeched. "This stuff is a Class III narcotic! It's illegal unless administered by a dcotor! What are you doing with this-"

"It was orders, _okay_?" Misato yelled. She calmed herself for a moment, checking on the boy. Fortunately, he was still asleep. However, she should have been more concerned with the girl, Asuka shrinking back in fear. "When Shinji has a bad night like this, it can become... _much_ worse."

Asuka half squinted, half shielded her eyes as the saline built up behind her eyelids. No, she couldn't show sympathy, not in front of this woman. "Misato," the redhead whimpered. "Just... what do you know about Shinji having... a brother?"

The major started towards the apartment door, but froze at the mention of the Child's sibling. The metal hatch slid back on its automated track as she returned to her cautious stride. "There are some things no one should remember. It seems to be a curse for us all those unwanted memories have to do with family."

•••••••••••••

Gendo Ikari stood over the intelligence officer's terminal, breathing in quick, furious gasps as he read over the man's shoulder. However, the ensign was used to this routine. When he had first arrived at his post in headquarters, the commander finding out about his skill at genealogical research, tracing the ancestors of wealthy families as well as searching for the survivors of Second Impact amongst the U.N. records, they had spent one day each week for the last two years on this project. The commander provided everything: detailed family histories with exact dates, paperwork, even monetary compensation, paying time and a half for his services. Since the last few weeks, however, especially after the declining synchronization scores of the Second Child, their search had been pushed up to four hours each day.

"I think I have something, Sir," he informed the commander. He hesitated for a moment, wondering just how his superior would react. "It's... a criminal record."

"Hmm," Gendo grunted, with no particular hint of emotional content. "Proceed."

"Well, it's what you'd typically expect of a runaway survivor of the Impact," the ensign explained. "Petty theft, trespassing, and two counts of vagrancy. There is... one item that concerns me, however. If you look at this name..."

The commander sneered for a moment. "Of course he would run to them."

"But, they're your in-laws!" the man exclaimed. "If he's been with them all this time, why haven't you heard anything-"

"They have never looked too fondly on our marriage, and after my brother's stupidity, well..."

The man nodded in understanding. "If I may be so bold, Sir," he began. "You can always ask him to return, if only to visit his brother. If the Ikaris have a problem, they could be escorted to the less restricted sectors of the base."

Gendo nodded. "A wise solution. Before we proceed, however, I would like you to store all of this data on this." The commander set a fist-sized flash memory palette before the officer, "CLASSIFIED" written in bold red text on a white label over the dull gray block. "Have all original documents erased from the original sources. Use any encryption necessary to hide your tracks."

"But... isn't that only the policy for-" He froze in mid-sentence, realizing at once the purpose of the search. "You... you truly are cold."

"I will let that comment slide, for now," the man answered. "If this operation succeeds, and the human race survives, I will accept any transfer request you put in, so long as you forget what you have been doing here."

"Understood, Sir."

The commander walked away from the terminal a few minutes later, the palette in hand. "Just remember, Ensign. Survival is our upmost priority. We have no need for the extra baggage of ethics."

End of Chapter I

•••••••••••••

Comments/questions, please leave a review.

•••••••••••••


	2. Chapter II: Arrival

I do not own the rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, or any of the characters, equipment, or locations written in this fanfiction. The purpose of this fanfiction is merely for the non-profit enjoyment of other readers. If requested by Gainax, Hideki Anno, or other parties which represent aforementioned objects in this story, I will remove it promptly.

**Chapter II:**

"Ikari Raidon?" a tall woman with shoulder length blonde hair asked when the mirror image of her coworker appeared at the door. It amazed her, both as a scientist, and as an "acquaintance" of the father. First, scientifically speaking, given the fact eighty percent of the human brain is hard-wired from heredity, and the remaining twenty percent is the result of prenatal conditions within the womb, she was stunned to note the clear variations in the Child's appearance. While identical to Shinji, right down to the quiet, penetrating stare the Third gave when encountering an unusual situation, this boy's hair had been allowed to grow down to his shoulder blades, resting free against his spine. She had never seen Kaji with his hair out of a ponytail in her life, but if she did ever see it, she was certain it would look like this.

'Would Shinji prefer this look as well?' she wondered. 'Is it just Shinji's lack of interaction with others that restricts his choices, or is it Raidon's exposure to the Tokyo-2 Junior High that inspired these variations?' Before her mind ventured on all the differences she could compare in what could be the perfect separated identical twin study, her mind returned to duty. 'More importantly, if Raidon and Shinji are truly identical twins with identical personalities, will Unit-01, or the remaining Eva series respond in the same way to his presence as Shinji? Will he make the same choices as his brother?' Then a dark thought crossed her mind.

'Would Unit-01 even accept this one?'

Next, as an "acquaintance" and employee of the father, she was curious why Gendo had never mentioned this boy once. She had heard all about Shinji's repressed memories, but surely if the commander suspected his other son was still alive, why had she not been notified? Why hadn't Misato been deployed in an active search? Her questions would have to wait for the drive back to Tokyo-3, assuming the boy was willing.

"Can I help you?" the boy asked, his voice similar, yet not identical to his brother. Raidon's voice was firm, still having the squeaky quality of puberty, but showed a resolve unseen in Shinji. Ritsuko could only stare. "Hey, I said, can I help you?"

Akagi woke from her trance. "I'm sorry. You just look so much like your brother-" The door started to close, but Ritsuko set her hand against the wooden surface, forcing it to remain open. "I'm Doctor Ritsuko Akagi. I'm an employee of your father's work."

Then a ghost from the past appeared behind the Child. It was the spitting image of Rei, or rather, Yui, yet with thirty more years on the boy's mother, and slightly shorter than Doctor Ikari. "What do you want?" Ms. Ikari grumbled. Raidon turned to his grandmother, explaining what little he knew. Ms. Ikari responded immediately. "Leave us alone! We want nothing to do with the Rokubungis."

"Even if Shinji, your twin brother, is staying with Gendo Ikari?" she asked.

"His surname is Rokubungi!" Ms. Ikari snapped. "He doesn't deserve to take our daughter's name! He never earned it, and never will!" Raidon, however, took immediate interest. He looked back to his grandmother, the two whispering as the elder Ikari pleaded he not leave.

"How is Shinji?" the boy asked, tilting his head as if to adjust his vision, the way a predator does when studying a potential threat.

"He is employed at your father's agency-" she explained, before the boy interrupted.

"I didn't ask what he is doing. I asked HOW he was doing!"

Ritsuko sighed. "Physically, he is okay, but lately, he's been under a lot of emotional strain." She didn't want to reveal the truth, but somehow, she couldn't lie to this Child, not about his counterpart. It felt like she was lying to Shinji about Shinji's condition, telling the Third how he felt no matter how he protested. But she realized in an instant this would work as the trigger to her trap. "He would prefer someone to talk to, but can't leave for... professional reasons."

"What kind of reasons?" Ms. Ikari asked. "What are you people doing to my grandson?"

"_Your_ grandson?" Ritsuko asked. "Why haven't you visited him? Until today, I've heard nothing from Commander Ik-, I mean, Rokubungi, about you trying to contact him!" Ritsuko found her prepared lies falling apart quickly, having to improvise on the spot. So much for rehearsing the trap. "Shinji surely hasn't mentioned anything. As far as he knows, he doesn't have any other family."

"Then where has he been all this time?" the grandmother snapped, scowling. "We've been trying to find him for years, but since five months ago, all his records disappeared! We were called psychotic and Raidon nearly taken away by Social Services, because they thought we were making it all up!"

Raidon noticed his grandmother on the verge of tears, and chose the opportune moment to take action. Reaching out with his hands, he gripped the woman's lavender turtleneck sweater by the collar, and pulled her off balance. 'This is... not possible!' Ritsuko panicked. 'Shinji isn't this strong, and he exercises regularly as required at school.'

"Be quiet!" Raidon snarled. Once Ritsuko complied, forcing her eyes to track to the bottom edge of her sockets, keeping a hazy focus on her assailant, the boy took a sharp breath. "Now, I'm going to ask simple questions, and you will provide simple answers. If you do not comply, I will take the necessary steps-"

"RAIDON, STOP IT!" an old man's voice shouted from the interior of the two story home. "You said you were going to change. What are you doing?"

"I only said I would avoid conflict, not sit back when it comes looking for me," the boy answered in disgust. The doctor was having her doubts. It looked distinctly similar to Shinji, sounded something like him, but could not be related to him. In a way, this boy, this crude copy was more reminiscent to the father, not the brother. For a split second, though, she saw the same rage as during the Twelfth Angel, the same as what the entry plug recordings showed during the Thirteenth Angel. "What do you know of my father."

"Just what I told you-" Mr. Ikari began, before the grandchild spat in hate.

"NO!" he shouted, sending the elderly couple a few steps back in fear. "ALL of it! Tell me EVERYTHING!"

Ritsuko shook her head slightly in reflection of her assumptions. No, this was nothing like Shinji, not at all. Perhaps it was like the Angels. This is what Shinji could have been, what he would eventually be as he started to become comfortable with his surroundings, or people.

•••••••••••••

The trunk to the red four-door rental sedan was packed, a large hiking backpack and black duffel bag containing enough of the boy's material possessions to support him during a two week stay. The Ikaris leant the boy enough money for a short term lease on an apartment, but Ritsuko informed the couple NERV would arrange free housing and support for him. They still insisted Raidon took the money, if only as an insurance policy, incase their worst fears of the father were true.

The ride was dull, Raidon again resembling his counterpart as he sat in the passenger seat, studying the scenery. It was beginning to infuriate Ritsuko that she could not take notes during this ride. It was here that she observed the most similarities, even in posture, to the Third Child. It seemed in unfamiliar settings, Raidon acted just as his brother, but once he became adjusted, which seemed to take fairly little time, his confidence overrode any similarities he once manifested.

"I've heard some of what you've mentioned on the news," The young Ikari said out of nowhere. Ritsuko looked at him for a minute, noticing the same thoughtful, depressed stare she was used to. "Why does he pilot?"

"To protect mankind," Akagi answered without hesitation.

Raidon shook his head. "If he is as identical to me as you suggest he is-" Ritsuko blinked in confusion. "You didn't think I saw it in your eyes?" Ikari asked. "Every time you look at me, you think I'm the same person you've obviously known longer than I have."

"You doubt his motivations?" Although Ritsuko knew why the Third Child truly would suffer, as Misato put it, to fight in the Eva, she was again prying, trying to probe this boy's personality. Anything she could learn in this conversation would serve her or the commander later when they made their proposition.

"Doctor, you know my father, and I know that my grandparents know I am almost identical to him." He paused, looking away for a moment at the small insects pelting the windshield, their pitiful lives ended when the stronger, bigger lifeforms wished to travel faster. "Any similarities Shinji and I have to our mother is wholly superficial."

"Are you implying something?" Ritsuko asked, glancing to the side before returning her gaze to the road ahead.

"By logic, if A equals B, and A is a subset of C, then B must also be a subset of C, correct?" Ritsuko was instantly impressed. She had learned after the short period of time with the Ikaris how Raidon had "pulled it together" a few weeks after being found in Tokyo-2. His math skills were incredible. Why didn't Shinji show such aptitude? The doctor nodded slowly, answering the boy's inquiry. "Then that should answer your question."

"You doubt your father would serve mankind?" Ritsuko asked, trying not to grin at the accurate realization, something Raidon would hopefully never learn.

"I sure as hell wouldn't."

•••••••••••••

The day passed by slowly, Asuka forced to do her homework and the laundry, so as not to disturb the sleeping Child. "How can you sleep that long?" she asked his unconscious form. It had been fourteen hours since she had awaken that morning, and Shinji had not even stirred.

It was closing in on eight in the evening, Asuka finished packing away her Kanji workbook, when the phone rang.

"_Hello?_"she sang in her thick accent. The line was quiet, the caller unsure as how to respond. Finally, Asuka checked the caller identification, and noted it was coming from Doctor Akagi's cellphone. Grumbling, the girl switched to Japanese. "Can I help you, Doctor?"

Soryu froze, the voice coming clear over the handset. She glanced back to the couch, Ikari still sleeping. "Okay, I get it," she grumbled. "Kensuke, I'm going to get you for this little prank."

Ritsuko's voice was suddenly on the line. "Asuka, where is Shinji?" Soryu jumped at the voice. It was not possible for Kensuke to be that good, even with his computing skills. Ritsuko had only been over at the apartment once, and none of the Stooges knew her, or her cellphone number. "This isn't funny, Asuka. Where is Shinji?"

"Umm... he's asleep," she breathed. "He's been like that all day."

Akagi grumbled, and then surprised the girl again. "Night terrors _again_?"

"...Yeah, but how do you-?"

"Check the prescription label," she cut the girl off. "Who do you think would authorize that kind of medication?"

"What is this about? If Shinji's here, then who is-" This time, Soryu's mind forced her mouth shut, her memory flashing before her eyes at the Child's unusual behavior. "Is that... Shinji's brother?"

"How much do you know?"

Asuka sighed. "Nothing, really. I just heard from Shinji last night he suddenly remembered having a twin brother. Wait, if he's there with you, he's... he's here? He's in the city?"

"We _just_ found him," Akagi breathed, stressing "just" as much as possible. It still confused her how the records could be so well hidden. "Misato is at headquarters, correct?"

"Umm, yeah..."

"Would you have room for another occupant?"

Soryu was too stunned for anger, as Shinji chose that very moment to yawn, rising to his feet. "Is that Misato?" he asked sleepily. Asuka shook her head. "Well, who is it?"

"Can you put him back on the phone?" the redhead asked. Ritsuko agreed, giving the cellphone to the passenger, the rental car parked along the curb outside of Misato's apartment. "Shinji, it's for you."

"Who is it?"

"It's... well, it's you..."

End of Chapter II

•••••••••••••

Comments/questions, please leave a review.

•••••••••••••


	3. Chapter III: Consequences

I do not own the rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, or any of the characters, equipment, or locations written in this fanfiction. The purpose of this fanfiction is merely for the non-profit enjoyment of other readers. If requested by Gainax, Hideki Anno, or other parties which represent aforementioned objects in this story, I will remove it promptly.

**Chapter III:**

Shinji stood, confused as the sliding metal door to the apartment opened. It was like a mirror, the Child staring back at himself. Yet there were distinct differences. This boy had hair just past his shoulders, wearing a light blue polo shirt, dark gray khaki pants, and a thin, black leather jacket. The black skateboarding shoes and black belt with the square, silver buckle added to the mature, yet casual look. Asuka stood behind the first Ikari, staring at the second, the one with Ritsuko. She could not help but let her mouth gape. 'God,' she thought. 'If the Baka could look like this-'

"I am Ikari Raidon," the boy spoke, his voice similar to Shinji's, yet more confident. It was also cold. There was no hint of pleasure for meeting his brother, yet his eyes darted back and forth over his twin's features, studying in detail the similarities, as well as the differences. Rather than bowing, Raidon held out his right hand, waiting for his counterpart to take it. "It's good to finally see you again, Shinji."

"N-nice to meet you," Shinji replied, standing there as a frozen figure. He felt a sudden stabbing pain from behind, turning around to notice Soryu jabbing him in the back with her elbow. "Sorry!" he hesitantly answered, taking his brother's hand. The texture of his palm was rough, scarred, clashing with the smooth, creamy features of the Third Child. His grip was firm, and Shinji could only let his hand dangle as it was embraced in a firm handshake. "Father," Shinji muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Raidon asked, raising an eyebrow. "You mentioned our, or _your_ father?"

"I-I'm sorry!" Shinji squeaked. Ritsuko couldn't help but clear her throat, hiding her face behind her hand. Shinji's father? But Gendo was the father to both of them. Asuka started to glare, breathing sharply. Shinji was kind, but sometimes that kindness, as well as his confusion around others interfered with the common sense most people had adopted long ago.

Raidon shook his head, his eyes closed slightly, face upturned in a slight grin. He neither accepted Shinji's apology, nor recognized the comparison. "We are both much like Gendo," he replied. The Third Child cringed, his brow wrinkling. "You are uncomfortable with that?"

Shinji looked towards Ritsuko, again hesitating, but nodded.

"Don't be," Raidon continued. "There are some traits which are quite admirable, and useful." Again, Shinji cringed, and clenched his fists. Raidon looked down at his brother's hands, and smiled. It was the same, even down to the duration. "But, if you are that disgusted, please bear in mind we are just different enough from him that some of our choices maybe a little more... emotional."

"That is not a comfort at all," Shinji snarled. Raidon was confused, but knew very little of Gendo other than what the Ikaris had told him. Perhaps there were some details he needed to learn before he proceeded. "Just, what are you doing here?"

Raidon raised an eyebrow, pointing towards Ritsuko with his thumb. "She said you wanted to see me." He looked back at the doctor for a moment. "What is going on here?"

Asuka couldn't help but find this boy, no, this _man_ incredible. It was almost as though Kaji were given given a darker, rougher edge, and returned to his rebellious youth. She could not contain her pleasure any longer, and pushed past Shinji, taking Raidon's right hand in hers, delivering a firm Westerner handshake. "I am Asuka Langely Soryu," she beamed. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Raidon studied the girl closely. "You were the one who answered the phone, aren't you?" The redhead smiled, glad he remembered. "So, are you Shinji's friend? I'm still a little confused about the living arrangements here. Who are you and Ms. Katsuragi to my brother?"

Asuka stared at the boy, then at Ritsuko, addressing the doctor. "You mean you haven't told him?"

"We have yet to talk with the commander about this," Akagi answered. "However, Raidon, you should know you're not here just to visit family." At this, Raidon grumbled, and looked at the two Children. The living arrangement, the girl and his brother nearly the same age, and the doctor's attempts to trick him. It was all starting to make sense.

"The Marduke Report came in," Ritsuko said. "You are the Sixth Child."

"You want me to take over for Shinji, don't you?" he snarled. Both Asuka and Shinji stared, waiting for Ritsuko's answer. Shinji had no idea how to react. Slowly, however, he felt guilty. He was glad someone was coming in to replace him, but the idea of his assumed responsibility to the human race being taken away, forced on his long lost brother left his stomach churning.

Asuka, however, flared in anger. "You weren't sent to replace your idiot brother," she grumbled. "You brought him to replace me, didn't you?" Ritsuko nodded, causing the girl to leap for the woman's throat. However, she had to get past Raidon, who struggled to pin the girl's arms above her head. "Get away from her!" she hissed. "I won't let you take away my glory!"

Raidon let out a grin, and delivered a knee to the girl's stomach, sending her to the floor. "Asuka!" Shinji yelped, dropping to his knees, holding the girl in his arms. Soryu tried pushing Shinji away, struggling to stand as she gasped for breath. "What did you do that for?" the Third spat, hate building. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he didn't want to hate his brother. Then again, since first arriving, there were too many similarities between the predecessor and the offspring. If this truly was his brother, he didn't want to be anything like him.

Raidon would have answered, but was too busy shoving Ritsuko against the nearest wall, his eyes boring into hers, drinking in her fear. Akagi gasped, shuddering. "This is the second time today," he grinned. "Why are you so shocked?"

"I thought you would show some compassion," Ritsuko said.

"Compassion is for the weak," he answered. "It's for people who cannot take what they have and work with it." He let the woman go, shoving her out of the apartment. "I would ask you to stay to answer my questions, but it seems you aren't welcome here." Raidon smacked the control panel, sealing Ritsuko out of the Children's home. "Is she okay?"

"What do you mean 'is she okay?" Shinji hollered, staring into his own reflection. "You hurt her!"

"Only to defend myself!" Raidon answered almost too quickly. He sighed, thinking back to prior incidents, like the one which caused him to try and shape up a few weeks before. The flashes of memories of the faces spurting blood, the burning sensations in his fists, and the constant meetings with the police being invited to speak with him at school. The Sixth Child knew instinctively he had a tendency to hurt those around him, regardless of what they meant to him. The "defense" excuse was just that: an excuse. A counterattack shouldn't have been necessary, but it was the first thing he thought of.

Asuka groaned, taking in air with raspy, short breaths. "Help me," Shinji wheezed, lifting the girl up to her feet, his hands tucked under her arms. Raidon nodded, and wrapped the girl's left arm over his shoulders. Shinji followed suit, taking the girl's right side. "She... will probably hate you," he sighed.

"Why is that?" the Sixth asked.

"You and I are the same, and she hates me." Raidon noticed his brother sigh at this, his slumped stance not only the result of the girl they carried towards the couch. The latest Ikari had his doubts at this statement, however. He noticed a few quick glances the redhead made between the two of them, clearly checking the both of them out, making comparisons. He couldn't help but grin.

"This really is an exercise in logic," Raidon grinned. "Remember, the contrapositive is also true. If your statement is correct, then if she likes me, she will also like you." He gave his brother a minute to process this concept. "Trust me, her actions are not as clear as you think."

Setting the girl gently on the couch, Shinji looked back at the kitchen counter. Looking at the girl for a moment, Raidon smiled. He had to admit she was cute. But something was wrong. As he looked up, he found his brother staring towards the kitchen."What's that for?" Raidon asked.

On the kitchen counter sat a glass of water, and a single white pill on a napkin. "It's... nothing," Shinji said. He would just skip it this time. There was no one to supervise him, and no longer any need. At that first thought, Shinji knew he must have made a face, as his brother gave him an odd look. He couldn't stand it, having Asuka babysit him as though he were a useless toddler.

Then came the first few memories with his uncle, the smell of the old apartment, and his face looking back at him in the same light red t-shirt. But he realized now it was not a mirror. It was _him_, this person. "You don't remember me, do you?" Raidon asked.

"No, I don't," Shinji answered, sitting on the floor, watching over the girl. To think, Misato left her in charge, and yet here he was, having to watch the apartment for Asuka, because of _him_. Raidon pulled two bar stools away from the kitchen countertop, setting one beside Shinji. "What's this for?"

"I could never get used to sitting on the floor," Raidon answered. "None of our culture interests me, really, not when we have to interact with the Westerners and their ways. It is more suiting to break our old habits in the beginning, and adjust ourselves in preparation for being a center of international affairs, correct?"

"I.. guess so," Shinji answered. His brother sat in the second bar stool, now half a meter from the kitchen counter. "Are you really going to stay here? Do you really want to go through with this, being a pilot?"

"I haven't decided yet," the Sixth answered. "I would prefer to hear your opinion on this matter, and that of Ms. Soryu."

"Do you want to speak to Ayanami as well?"

"Who?"

"She's another pilot," Shinji explained. "She is a little... distant, but I think she will talk to you." He smiled at the thought of Rei. "She puts a little more thought into our discussions about the Eva and the Angels." The Third froze, snarling. "But she clings to Father most of the time."

"Then she will prove a valuable contact," Raidon smiled. "I can't wait to meet her."

•••••••••••••

Misato lazily answered her cellphone on the fourth ring, finding it hard to keep her eyes open. It was an exhausting day, sixteen hours of filing paperwork just to report expenses on repairing the city and the Geo-Front. The paperwork now left consisted of three pages. They were the same forms she filed when Shinji arrived, as well as when Asuka arrived. "Is this possible?" she asked. "Are we getting a new pilot?"

Flipping the cellphone to it's open position, the major pressed the send button, receiving the call. "Katsuragi here," she began.

"It's Ritsuko," the doctor answered. "I'm outside your apartment right now. You have a guest of NERV that will be staying for a few days, until the commander can arrange proper housing."

"What makes you think you can just do that?" Katsuragi shouted. She looked at the paperwork before her, and it suddenly clicked. "Wait... where were you today?"

"Retrieving the guest," Akagi cheerfully replied.

"Don't you mean Child?"

"Damnnit, Misato!" she hissed. "This is not a secure line!" She was not going to take the extra time to encrypt the connection, however. A thirty second delay meant Misato could easily choose to ignore the call, hanging up on her before the information could be relayed. "Okay, yes, it's a Marduke Qualifier."

"Hmm, what's his name?"

"Raidon," Ritsuko answered.

"Odd name," the major sighed. "Doesn't that mean 'thunder god' or something? I don't know many people with that name."

"It's not very popular, but neither is the name Shinji," the doctor answered.

"What does _that_ have to do with it? Are you just picking on him?"

"No, not at all. I just meant that the commander has a unique taste in his children's names." This last comment caused the major, leaning back in her office chair, feet resting on the desk, to slide away, falling sideways over the arm rest. "What was that?"

Misato rose to her feet. "What are you talking about? Wait... are you saying what I think you're-?"

"You may have some difficulty with your little family, though," Akagi sighed. "There was a... conflict just before I left. You might want to-" Misato had hung up, and pressed the speed dial feature, most likely. Ritsuko grumbled as the rain began to fall just outside, but it was still soft enough for her theory to be proven. She could hear the phone in Misato's apartment ringing, probably because of an open kitchen window.

Ritsuko dialed a number on her own cellphone. "It's me," she said, reporting in. "The situation is taken care of." There were some words exchanged, and the doctor let out a laugh. "There's no need to be concerned. This is the major we are talking about. For someone like me, she is far too predictable."

End of Chapter III

•••••••••••••

Comments/questions, please leave a review.

•••••••••••••


	4. Chapter IV: Resolution

I do not own the rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, or any of the characters, equipment, or locations written in this fanfiction. The purpose of this fanfiction is merely for the non-profit enjoyment of other readers. If requested by Gainax, Hideki Anno, or other parties which represent aforementioned objects in this story, I will remove it promptly.

**Chapter IV:**

Misato burst into the apartment, but froze only two steps within the living room. She saw two Shinjis, one beside Asuka, the other near the kitchen. They were dressed differently, but that was the only variation. The both of them sat hunched on a bar stool in the same fashion, and stared at her with the same, fascinated gaze. "S-Shinji?" she asked.

"Here, Misato," the Third Child answered, raising his hand as if in school, distinguishing himself from his brother. "Is... something wrong?

Katsuragi nodded, stomping as she walked towards Raidon. "You are?"

"Ikari Raidon," he answered. "And you are?"

"Misato Katsuragi," she answered curtly. "_Major_ Misato Katsuragi." Raidon smiled, nodding his head once as a sign of recognition. He meant it more in a European fashion, not as a bow. Had Misato known that, she might not have reacted as she did. Pointing towards the hallway, she glared at him. "There are certain ground rules we need to discuss, and they need to be discussed in private. But before we start, I want to know what the HELL you were thinking, attacking Doctor Akagi and Asuka like that?"

The Sixth Child frowned. "If you were tricked to come here under the lie of meeting family, you might react the same way." He received a slap, his head turning only slightly. His cheek stung, and he could imagine the shade of red it was taking. "As for the girl, when she found out I was replacing her, she went for Doctor Akagi. I was still in her way, so she came at me first."

"What are you talking about?" the woman yelled.

"Doctor Akagi tells me you are the operations director, the one in charge of the pilots' lives on and off the battlefield." Misato nodded. "In that case, you obviously know why I was brought here, and the method used, correct?" It disturbed Misato how this Child spoke the word "correct." It was identical to the commander. In fact, his entire pattern of speech was the same as the commander: cold, demeaning, and factual. "So do not play games with me, _Major_."

"Now you listen to me," Misato barked. "The commander and Doctor Akagi select pilots based on the Marduke Report. I don't have any say in the selection of Marduke Qualifiers. Furthermore, I didn't even hear about you until," Misato paused, checking her watch. "I didn't hear about you until fifty minutes ago!"

"And I'm supposed to believe you, after the way Shinji was forced here?"

Misato looked at the Third Child, and started to yell, something she rarely ever had to do. "Just what did you tell him?"

As Shinji started to shrink back in the bar stool, Raidon rose to his feet. "No, you are speaking to ME, Major!" he roared. Misato felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. "And he's told me enough. He told me how your pathetic attempt at sexual arousal and heroic speeches kept convincing him to stay. I must say, for a non-commissioned officer who's too busy sending kids to fight her dirty war, you can come up with some rather inspiring dialogue. Let me guess, you caught up on a few Rambo movies the day before you picked my brother up?"

She reached out to smack the boy hard upside the head, but Raidon pinned her offending hand between his forearms. For a moment, he gripped her wrist, planning to twist it. The injury could easily lead to a compound fracture if he delivered the motions with just the right amount of force. Misato saw this intent, and tried to break free, pulling desperately to release her arm. She then looked into his eyes, pleading.

Raidon, however, did not go through with the plan. He blinked once, clearing his penetrating stare, and breathed deeply. Slowly, when he was sure the major would not strike him, he released his grip. "I've done my best to avoid hurting others while I've been here, _Major_. If there is anyone who needs a lesson in discipline and ethics, it should be Gendo and his little Gestapo he's got around here."

"Piloting the Eva is voluntary!" Katsuragi snarled, backing away as she tried to defy the victor. Even if she couldn't hurt a potential pilot, she could try to get the last word. "Shinji had the right to choose, and always came back to pilot. Whether he was tricked into it or not is not my fault nor my concern." The minute she said that, Misato felt another pair of the cobalt eyes bore into her back. She turned just in time to see Shinji stare at the floor, his eyebrows furrowed. "Shinji... I-"

"So, is that it?" Raidon asked. "If it's voluntary, I can choose not to go along with this? I can just go home?"

Misato nodded.

"And if Shinji chooses to leave as well?" Again, Misato nodded, and the feeling of the penetrating stare from behind eased. "What will you do, in that case? The way I understand it, I'm here to replace Asuka, since she can't pilot anymore, and that leaves just one other. Do you really expect to put the burden on just this girl, Ayanami?"

The major scowled. "You really are alike, even down to your pathetic sense of obligation! If we have to fight with one pilot, or even no pilots, we will find a way." The two combatants stared at each other, neither backing down. "Now, if you are going to stay in this home, you will apologize to Asuka in the morning, and I expect you to mean it!"

"Is that all, Major?"

Misato nodded one last time, and walked the boy to Shinji's room. "Shinji, I'm putting Raidon with you." Shinji just nodded, accepting the fact. There was no other reasonable choice, after all. But he had his own problems to think about at this time. He started to wonder about his brother's actions, and while he didn't want to pilot the Eva, he was never able to express what his brother was capable of doing just moments before. Not for the first time, Shinji felt envy, but now it was envy for a bad trait. He wanted the selfishness and the defiance to say "no."

•••••••••••••

Asuka awoke to the sound of a fast, heavy tread which sounded like Misato, but she could not be sure. The Second Child batted her eyes, and looked up at the ceiling. She noticed a silhouette hovering above her, and quickly turned to see Shinji. Somehow, she knew it was Shinji, even though her vision was still cloudy from sleep. "Hey," he cooed. "Are you alright?"

For a second Asuka was relieved, just long enough for the anger to return. "You stupid..." she began. "You filthy Baka!" She reached out and slapped him. "Why? Why didn't you stop him?"

Shinji cringed, but continued to sit there, taking blow after blow as Asuka continued to strike. "You could have stopped him! Why didn't you stop him?" Shinji just sat there, allowing her to injure him, not doubting he could have done something, yet not knowing what he could have done. It was only when the major approached that the beatings stopped.

"ASUKA, STOP IT!" Misato screamed, jerking Shinji away, then slapping her hard. The German finally came to rest, and leaned forward, staring at the floor. Misato gripped the redhead's shoulders. "What are you doing?"

"It's my fault, Misato," Shinji started to sob. "I should have stopped Raidon from hurting her."

Katsuragi sighed, and forcing Asuka to sit up on the couch, made Shinji take the opposite side, while she stared them both down from the commandeered stool. "Asuka, you are going to have to understand. Shinji and Raidon are twins, but they are different people! You can't hold one responsible for the other! It doesn't work that way!"

"But they're _identical twins_, Misato!" Soryu growled. "They should know how the other would react!"

"Shinji," Misato sighed. "Are you just going to sit there and take this? Because if you are, I can't be your guardian anymore." The major wiped her eyes with a tissue torn from the dispenser on the coffee table. Shinji just shrank back into the couch, not knowing what he was doing wrong, but feeling guilty anyway. "Tell Asuka why you deserve respect."

"I... Misato, I can't!" Shinji pleaded. "I don't deserve respect! I hurt people! I don't want to, but I do!" Soryu glared at him first, but her eyes relaxed, almost looking sad as Shinji shrank further into the couch. "I... I just want everyone to leave me alone." A small part of Asuka Langely Soryu seemed to die, the fire in her heart dwindling, as the pain just drew Shinji down further into the darkness.

Misato looked at the kitchen counter, the glass of water and the pill sitting there. "Shinji, will you be... okay tonight?"

The Third looked up, confused. Then he noticed the direction of Misato's glance, the awaiting narcotic and the fluid necessary to consume it still waiting, tempting him. The taste was horrible, as were the side effects. He never told Katsuragi, but the dreams were always worse after taking them. "I..." he started.

The major, however, set the glass in front of him, placing the pill in his palm. "I want you both in bed in twenty minutes," she sighed. "Shinji, Raidon is sleeping on the floor. If it doesn't work out, let me know, okay? We'll just find him another place."

Soryu watched the boy cringe, staring into the glass. As he reached out for the water, his right hand shook. It took forever before Asuka could extinguish her anger, but when she finally did, the glass was still there on the coffee table, Ikari's hand still shaking, frozen in place halfway between the couch and the glass. "Is it... that bad?" she asked. Shinji did not need to speak, his head shifting to the right, eyes clear, wide, and damp, tears streaking down his face. He wanted nothing to do with that medication. "Then why don't you tell Mis-?"

"She won't listen," he interrupted. "I've _tried_, but she keeps telling me Ritsuko knows best."

"You... really don't remember your brother at all, do you?"

"Do you _have_ to ask me that?" Shinji growled, his voice restricted to keep from their guardian hearing.

Asuka thought back to the early morning, Shinji still shaking after his dream. "I guess not," she muttered. "Do you... want to stay out here?" Shinji didn't seem to understand, but nodded dumbly. "Then it's settled," the girl smiled faintly, picking up the blanket from before, still folded on the right armrest of the couch. "Well?" Soryu demanded, glaring at him.

Shinji just stared, confused again, until the redhead shoved him down onto his back, tossed the blanket over him, and reclined on her side of the couch. "Just no funny business!" she snarled. "Otherwise, neither of you two will be able to have children, got it?"

Shinji smiled, tossing the pill to the coffee table, pulling his arms defensively to his chest. "Thank you, Asuka." She would have answered, but Ikari closed his eyes, his body limp within seconds.

•••••••••••••

The few minutes before sleep, Raidon studied the contents of Shinji's room. Except for a few minor possessions and a cello case, there was nothing to suggest his brother felt at home. There were no posters, no photographs, nothing to personalize the simple quarters. The sheets were neatly resting on the bed, no one obviously sleeping on that surface for at least a day. His eyes closed as he lay on the floor in the bedroll he brought from home, the same he used on the camping trip with his friends in Tokyo-2 during the summer vacation. One last thought passed through his mind. 'Something is seriously wrong with this place.'

Raidon awoke to screaming coming from the living room. It was his voice, or rather, his brother's voice. In an instant he was on his feet, throwing the bedroom door open. Running down the hall, Misato was just entering the living room. As he moved about the hallway, past the kitchen, and into the space in question, he saw Katsuragi towering over the couch, yelling at the redhead. Asuka was busy, however, leaning over Shinji, shaking him, trying to wake him. The other Ikari did not respond, but kept his eyes closed, mouth open in a constant, ear-splitting scream.

"Come on!" Asuka shrieked. "It's a dream! It's just a dream! Wake up!" Misato was shouting orders to Asuka, telling her to stand aside, but Soryu protested. Raidon moved about the couch, and noticed the filled glass and the pill sitting on the coffee table again. He was right. Something was wrong here.

"Hold him!" the Sixth Child ordered. His voice was not heard at first, so he repeated his command. "Asuka, hold him!" She looked up, confused, while Misato just argued against the advice, telling her to shove the pill down his throat. It didn't matter what the major said, however, as Asuka glared at her enemy, wondering what he was talking about, and why he would offer advice to them. The screaming finally stopped, allowing them to speak in normal tones, but the boy continued to shake, body coated in sweat.

"What are you talking about?" the German snapped.

Raidon wrapped his arms about his chest in the same fashion as one would hold a small child. "Hold him," he repeated. Soryu was not convinced, but tried it. It took all her will to shut down her distaste for the sweaty clothes and the fact she was pressing her chest up against him, allowing the boy to feel parts of her he should never be allowed to see. Asuka's face wrinkled at first, but as the Third Child felt the arms around him through the illusions of his dreams, his shuddering ceased. He started to relax in the girl's arms.

More importantly, as Ikari relaxed in her grip, his head slumping forward into her shoulder, Asuka felt the pit of her stomach start to ease, the distaste no longer there. In fact, as she felt him lean against her, a new, comfortable sensation rushed to replace her fear. It was a sense of peace, as though, no matter what happened, things were going to work out. "How did you know-?" she began.

Raidon grinned, watching Soryu's face turn red. "He has always had bad dreams, ever since we moved to our uncle's apartment. He's a heavy sleeper, especially when he has night terrors. You can't get through to him any other way." Then Raidon noticed Shinji's hands unconsciously wrap around the girl's waist, hands clenching tight. Asuka let out a yelp, her eyebrows twitching in frustration.

"What are you looking at?" she snapped.

"I'll tell you later," the other Ikari answered. He wouldn't tell her, not as long as Misato was in the room, the woman in question choosing that moment to barge into the discussion.

"Why didn't you _make_ him take the pill?" she yelled. "This wouldn't have happened-"

"The drugs just make it worse, _MISATO!"_ the Second Child retorted. "He's been trying to tell you for months, but you never listen!"

"I don't _CARE_ what they do, as long as they stop this!"

"But... his dreams are worse when-" the girl started harshly, but her voice trailed off, breaking down into a whimper. "It's not right, Misato."

"Ritsuko knows what she's doing!"

Raidon's head jerked up, his focus beforehand on that tiny, miserable pill sitting on the coffee table. "You mean Doctor Akagi?" Misato nodded. "_She's_ been prescribing this stuff?" Again, Misato nodded. Before she could react, the Sixth Child swept his hand over the table, holding the pill in his hand. "They're in the fridge, right?"

"Don't you dare!" the major started. "He's taking it the minute he wakes up!" But she had no idea what Raidon was up to. Walking with a stiff, dutiful stride, Shinji's twin opened the fridge, and found the small bottle almost instantly. Reading the label, he growled. Misato burst into the kitchen, barking orders again. "He _needs_ that!" she began. "It's important to stabilize his-"

"Do you even _know_ what this is?" Raidon yelled, holding up the bottle of pills. "This is meth, Misato! You know, crystal, speed. Any of those ring a bell? You _have_ asked Ritsuko why she's pumping him full of street drugs, right?"

Misato shook her head defiantly. "That's not possible!" she shouted. "Ritsuko assured me it was an anti-depressant!"

"Oh yeah, it's a great anti-depressant," he explained. "You just have to get past all the minor complications, like paranoia, weight loss, violent tendencies, and the hallucinations to see this really is a good idea." Raidon held the bottle over the sink, keeping the cap on the container. "Of course, it's in a proper prescription bottle, so it _has_ to be safe, right?"

"What are you doing?" Misato asked. She didn't have a chance to stop him, even if she guessed what he was doing. The bottle was already leaving his hand, falling into the drain on the sink. Asuka stumbled in just in time to see the Child reach for the pair of light switches next to the sink, flipping one, then the other. First a light came on, then he heard the satisfying sound of the garbage disposal, the sound of plastic both tearing and shattering echoing within the drain trap. The surviving pills plinked against the piping, before aggravating the rotating assembly as a ground, fine powder tearing at the bearings.

"You IDIOT!" the major screamed, jumping at the boy, arms reaching out to stop the disposal unit. "You're going to break it!" She, however, entered just in time for the stirred dust cloud of the narcotic to enter her nostrils, while Raidon tried to keep his eyes shut, holding his breath. The grainy powder entered Misato's nose and mouth, the woman coming to a halt. She could not voice the fear which caused her skin to crawl.

Raidon passed by her, dusting off his clothes. "I need a shower," he grumbled. "But tell me how that stuff is in the morning, Major. It may give you some time to think, but I'll be sure to call the doctor in the morning and pick up some more for Shinji if you still believe it will help him."

Asuka just stared. "You mean... the drugs have been-?"

"Making it worse?" Raidon asked. "Probably, but Shinji has always had bad dreams." He looked at his brother, finally resting quietly on the couch. "That is who he is, and trying to council him or shove pills down his throat isn't the answer." Soryu raised an eyebrow. "He just wants to be loved and respected, that's all. He can take the dreams, as long as he knows there's something to live for."

"How would you know?" Soryu asked skeptically. "You hardly know him!"

"_He_ doesn't know _me,_ but _I_ know _him!_" Raidon started to take off his polo shirt, now lightly coated in the poisonous substance. He reminded himself to try breaking the habit of sleeping in his normal clothes. Rolling the polo shirt into a tight ball, he made his way to the washing machine, throwing it in, followed up later by his khakis, socks, and undershirt.

"How?" the girl pleaded.

"That's all we talked about, my family and I," Raidon explained. "I always had questions about him, and they were happy to provide answers." Soryu studied the boy carefully, wondering if he really was telling the truth. "And no, Asuka, I don't have any embarrassing baby pictures or stories to share."

"I-I wasn't thinking _that!_" she protested. Shinji stirred again in his sleep. "Do I... do I _still_ have to hold him?"

"I can tell he likes you," Ikari grinned. "That's what I was thinking before." Before Asuka could ask how, he explained. "He told me, of course. It's in his body language, the way he worries about how he could hurt you, and how he doesn't mind you being around." He took a sharp breath, trying to keep the powder from entering his mouth. "By the way, I'm sorry. I'll try not to interfere too much in your piloting affairs."

Asuka sat down by Shinji, and ran her fingertips through his hair. She had no idea what to make of this brother, but as Misato thumped against the kitchen walls, struggling to find the exit, Soryu knew things were going to put a strain on any normalcy they had as an impromptu family.

"I wonder what the doll will think of him," she muttered.

End of Chapter IV

•••••••••••••

Raidon: street thug with a heart of gold, or just another Gendo in disguise? We will see as things progress in the story. Before anyone protests, the idea for having Shinji on meth came to me suddenly as a funny idea. The reaction, of course, with Raidon tossing the whole bottle, contents and all into the disposal and flipping the switch, was something I could see any angry father figure doing. So, the question came to mind, "what would be a bad enough drug that could be argued by Ritsuko as having a medicinal use, but scare the hell out of Misato if someone else took it?"

Now the question comes to mind, was it just trying to treat the night terrors by inducing insomnia that Ritsuko put Shinji on the meth, or were there other reasons? Considering the paranoia and aggression speed causes as side effects, could the commander and the doctor have been trying to chemically alter the Third, so he wouldn't misfire if put in another situation like the Thirteenth Angel? If they really intended to make Shinji a berserker killing machine, that gives Raidon more than enough reason to clean their clocks, or take Shinji's place, getting his brother out of the situation.

The possibilities are endless.

•••••••••••••


	5. Chapter V: Observations Pt I

I do not own the rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, or any of the characters, equipment, or locations written in this fanfiction. The purpose of this fanfiction is merely for the non-profit enjoyment of other readers. If requested by Gainax, Hideki Anno, or other parties which represent aforementioned objects in this story, I will remove it promptly.

**Chapter V:**

It was the most pleasant night of sleep he had in a long time, Shinji thought. The sunrise glowed, reflecting on the walls of the apartment through the rear balcony windows, adding a golden hue to everything within his range of vision. That included Asuka's fair skin, her arms draped over his shoulders. She had slumped into his chest at one point, her cheek resting on his collar bone. Ikari blinked, then squinted at the VCR clock. It was almost six o'clock in the morning. He yawned, and tried to stretch, but found his arms pinned at his sides.

"Stupid Raidon," Asuka mumbled, still half asleep. "Always has to be right..." Soryu started to roll off the couch, but as her weight lifted from Shinji's right side, he was able to catch her before she fell. She awoke suddenly. "Huh?" Blinking, clearing the sleep from her eyes, she noticed Shinji's hand on her arm, and the compromising position she was in. She leapt off him quickly, shoving the boy down on the couch with both hands. "Agh! Get off of me, Baka!" Shinji thought things had returned to normal, but noticed she didn't call him a pervert. Something was wrong, but perhaps it was for the best.

"I didn't do anything!" he started, before Asuka froze, looking around the room, recalling the incident earlier that morning. She sighed, and for a moment, the Second Child seemed to smile in Shinji's presence. "Uh... Asuka?" he asked cautiously.

"We can't skip school today," Soryu sighed, almost grumbling. "We're getting that stupid Kanji test back."

"Hey, it isn't the teacher's fault!" Shinji began. "After you arrived-" Soryu shot him a look, sliding her hands up to his throat. "A-Asuka!"

"Care to finish that statement, Third?" she hissed.

"I-I mean," he answered. "I mean the class' Kanji is pretty bad already, but when you arrived, i-it finally gave him a reason to administer a refresher course, you know?" It was not the answer Asuka wanted to hear, reminding her of her failings at the language. She reminded herself, however, that she had never learned Kanji before, and even Hikari had difficulty tutoring her in the material. Of course Hikari tried to hide her own failings, the girl being far more adept at science and English than the other subjects, but that was little comfort to the redhead. "W-Why are you here?" Shinji asked, confused.

Asuka glared at him in response. "You don't remember _anything_ last night?"

Ikari panicked, his face breaking out into a cold sweat. Their clothes were still on, he reminded himself, so either they didn't do anything, or they took the time to dress themselves incase Misato stumbled into the situation. But he didn't remember what happened that night. The way Asuka was pouting, he was hoping it wasn't what his imagination began suggesting. Then Asuka began to laugh.

"Don't freak out like that, Third!" she chuckled. "You look like you're about to explode."

"W-what happened last night?" he asked again, just as Raidon entered the living room. His brother wore a red polo shirt and blue jeans today, his hair pulled back in a ponytail. Asuka started to instinctively drool, her lips pulled down slightly from the pout. If only she hadn't been trying to save herself for Kaji, she thought. "Uhh... Raidon?" Shinji asked.

"Yes, Shinji?" the Sixth answered.

"WHAT happened last night?"

The twin grinned. "You don't remember pledging your life to Asuka last night, and making sweet love?" Asuka grumbled as Shinji started to sweat bullets. Raidon laughed hysterically. "God, you are so gullible," he sighed. "You need to work on that."

"Stop teasing me!" he snapped back defiantly. "Someone tell me what happened!"

Just then, Misato could be heard groaning, stumbling to her feet from the kitchen. "Asuka can tell you, but I assure you, everything's fine now," Raidon began. "Oh Misato!" he called out. "Ready for your breakfast?" The other Ikari started cooing to the woman like he was calling a dog. "Aww, who's a good junkie?"

Soryu shuddered, and unconsciously pulled Shinji closer, resting her head into his chest again. "Your brother _really_ creeps me out sometimes," she whispered. Then she noticed their proximity, blushing at the boy staring into her eyes, mouth hung open in shock. "Eh-" she half squeaked, half croaked, her voice caught in surprise.

Shinji had a Charlie Brown moment, his eyes closing tigthtly, steam almost visible erupting from his ears. "Is ANYONE going to tell me what's going on?"

•••••••••••••

Katsuragi was aware of two feet within centimeters of her face, clothed in black socks. 'Who in their right mind wears black socks with jeans?' she thought, trying to wipe the drool from her face. She noticed the disheveled look of the kitchen, chairs knocked to the floor, silverware scattered about the counter, and two cans of beer empty, still rolling along the linoleum. "Wha... what happened?" she groaned.

"This is your brain," Raidon began, picking up the closest can of beer. Crushing it in his grip, Misato cringed at the sound, finding her ears particularly sensitive to the faintest noise. "This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?"

Misato gripped the nearest edge of countertop, and heaved herself to her feet, head still spinning. Things started to come back into focus within her mind, the ground-up powder caught in her lungs, the delusions later that night, and her stupid mistake to alter the drug's affects with the only available liquid she could get to while lying on the floor. The typical signs of a hangover were present, the bile collected in a particular corner of the kitchen. At least she was still smart enough while stoned and drunk to pick a corner.

"You _bastard!_" she hissed, starting to walk towards him.

"Me?" he asked defiantly. "_You're_ the one who has been keeping my brother doped up on that crap for months! Any longer, and he'd probably start losing his teeth! How exactly would you explain that to Social Services or the school?" Misato started to slump forward, the amplitude of the boy's voice and it's implications getting to her. "Reading the label a little too difficult for you officers?"

"How did you know it was methamphetamine?" the major asked.

Raidon sighed, and started to toss the scattered utensils into the sink, again the clanging noises scratching at the back of Misato's brain, her hands clasping her ears. "I've been around some rather nasty people in school," he explained. "I was one of them, but never lowered myself to making the stuff. Beating people up was one thing, but getting into drugs was something else."

"So, you played it smart?" Misato replied, trying to talk over Raidon's deliberate attempt to make as much noise as possible, running the garbage disposal to check if it still worked.

Shinji's brother nodded. "Not only that, but who is stupid enough to try and compete with the freaks who make that stuff in Tokyo-2? Have you even _seen_ how bad the crime has gotten there? With the Yakuza gone, it's just the trash left who don't even have the sense to put the guns away when they're baked." Raidon remembered a particular friend from school, and winced. "I mean, come on! There aren't many people who are stupid enough sober to play Russian Roulette with an automatic."

The major groaned. "How long does this last?" She upturned one of the chairs, slumped into it, and set her head on the kitchen table.

"Don't ask me," he said. "I avoided my friends when they were crashing."

Misato thought long and hard for a few moments, trying to find _any_ subject that would not involve bruising her crippled ego. "Have you decided what you're going to do?"

"Regarding?" he asked.

"NERV, of course!" she retorted.

"First, I want to meet with this Ayanami girl," Raidon answered calmly. "Maybe I'll tag along with the others to their school, observe the situation." Misato looked confused for a moment. "You do make them attend school, right?"

"Yeah," Misato answered. "All in the same class, so it's easier to get a hold of them."

"Then I'm definitely going, just to get my bearings. Can I meet with Gendo afterwards?"

Misato nodded. "Just remember, address him as the commander when you meet him. Show him a little respect."

"Little being the key word," Raidon grinned. "I would ask you to join us for breakfast, but I think you don't want to be around food for a while. We'll grab something on our way out." Katsuragi waved goodbye to the boy, her head tucked into her other forearm. It was not going to plan at all, she thought.

"So much for standard procedure," she groaned.

•••••••••••••

Borrowing a white button up dress shirt and dress pants, the twins accompanying Asuka looked practically identical. The ponytail hiding his long hair, when Ayanami came within range, just two blocks away, she could have sworn her vision was failing her. "Oh boy, _this_ is going to be fun," the German cackled.

"Can you _not_ tease her today?" Shinji asked, pleading.

"Why?" Soryu grumbled.

Before Shinji could come up with an answer, Raidon answered for him. "Because if you don't, I'll tell her that you two really did have a passionate night, all cares thrown to the wind." Both the Second and Third Child froze, stammering. It was another ten seconds before they sprinted to catch up with Raidon.

Rei could not believe her eyes. There was Shinji, sure enough, taking less of a verbal lashing today than normal. But that person in front of them, the one who stared at her with cold eyes and a warm smile was... it was the commander in miniature. "Who are you?" the First Child asked, remaining frozen at the sidewalk corner, waiting to cross the street.

"Ikari Raidon," the boy answered, extending his hand. He stopped, however, as a realization hit him. The family photos in the Ikari household that were taken a decade ago were a perfect match to this girl's figure, her face, and her stance. Yet Mother did not have the pale blue hair or crimson eyes like this girl. "You are..?"

"Ayanami Rei," she answered curtly. "You are mistaken about your identity, however. The commander does not have a second son." Shinji finally approached, the blue-haired girl turning to address him. "Ikari, who is this person?"

"He is my twin brother," Shinji explained.

"That is... not possible," Rei answered. "The commander has never informed me you had a brother."

"Just get used to it, Wondergirl!" Asuka barked. "The commander doesn't tell you everything, after all." Rei's eyes started to water, her figure trembling slightly. "Aww, what's the matter?" Soryu snickered, her face nose to nose with her rival. "Can't trust your master anymore, you mindless doll?"

"That's enough!" At first, when everyone bolted, the two girls thought it was Raidon. However, the calm figure just turned to his brother, now fuming, mouth pulled into a feral snarl. "Leave Ayanami alone, Asuka!" Shinji growled. Without any effort, Ikari's face returned to normal, his expression kind, but concerned. "Ayanami, are you okay?"

"I am... confused," Rei replied. Shinji nodded. "This needs some further explanation."

"Doctor Akagi picked him up the other day," Shinji began, looking both ways as the crosswalk signal turned to green. "He's been living in Tokyo-2 this whole time." Hearing Asuka grumble under her breath, Shinji looked back, the penetrating stare freezing her in place as he walked away.

"H-hey!" Asuka started, the signal already changing to a flashing red open palm when she started into the street. Raidon caught her by her shoulder, stopping her as the signal finally held a constant red, his brother and the girl beyond their reach. She shrugged off his hand, and smacked it away. "What are you doing?"

"I don't know what your problem is with that girl," Raidon began, "but you cut into her rather deep just now."

"Doesn't matter!" Soryu snorted, tilting her nose to the air in defiance. "She is practically a slave to your father. She doesn't show any emotions, doesn't talk to anyone, and admits she would die for the commander if he ordered it!" Asuka opened her left eye, glancing at her remaining companion. "Why do you even want to talk with her?"

"She's another pilot," he answered. "I want to know what all of you think about it... what it takes to pilot the Eva." Soryu didn't seem convinced. As he stared mindlessly at the couple ahead, his brother trying to keep up a one-sided conversatin, and the Ayanami girl just listening, Asuka huffed. Raidon let out an audible grunt, his eyebrows twitching. "This is not right," he muttered.

Asuka tugged at the boy's hand. "Are you going to tell me what that was all about?" Soryu asked. He stirred, head jerking towards the girl, eyes glazed over as if in a trance. "What was that?"

"What?"

"Shinji, just... exploding like that, that's what! That isn't Shinji at all!" Asuka stared off, her voice trailing off into a whisper. "It's more something you would do."

Raidon chuckled. "Already an expert on me, are you?" Soryu did not find it funny at all, and just continued staring off into the distance. "You forget, we are identical twins. You've said it yourself. Whatever I am, Shinji is, and whatever Shinji is, I am." He started to take a step into the street, the signal changing to a green "walk" signal.

"That mean you're going to cry and run away like a coward when you kill your best friend?"

Raidon froze, and with a crushing, painful grip which turned the girl's hand white for a moment, he pulled her towards him. "What did you say?" he hissed just above a whisper. Asuka cringed, her arm locked in place by this Child's grip. It terrified her. Here she was, trained in various martial arts systems, and this simple weakling was about ready to take her arm off. "Answer me!"

"L-let go of me!"

Raidon complied, pushing the girl's arm out of his hand, and crossed the street, leaving the girl behind. "Now I understand," he began. "This is why Shinji's never been able to get close to you." Asuka started to protest, but the signal changed again, leaving her alone. For the first time in her life, she desired the company of the Ikaris, either one of them. "Why?" she asked herself, getting an odd stare from the few pedestrians surrounding her. "Why do I like them?"

End of Chapter V

•••••••••••••

•••••••••••••


	6. Chapter VI: Observations Pt II

I do not own the rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, or any of the characters, equipment, or locations written in this fanfiction. The purpose of this fanfiction is merely for the non-profit enjoyment of other readers. If requested by Gainax, Hideki Anno, or other parties which represent aforementioned objects in this story, I will remove it promptly.

**Chapter VI:**

"Uh, Shinji?" Kensuke asked the two brothers as they entered the room, one after the other. Rei had stepped into the room ahead of them, while Asuka lagged two minutes behind. "What, I mean... who are you?"

"Should I tell them, or you?" Raidon grinned at Shinji, getting an odd stare in response. The twins both turned to Kensuke, but it was Raidon who first spoke. "I am Shinji's brother, Ikari Raidon." Aida studied the two carefully, but could hardly tell them apart. If it were not for the shoulder length hair, There was no way Shinji's friend could tell him apart from his brother. "Do we need name tags?" Raidon asked.

"I don't know, you might," Kensuke sighed. "I certainly can't see any differences. You're practically identical." Shinji cringed at that, and slumped into his desk. "Shinji?" the nerd piped up. "Hey... did I say something wrong?"

"What did you do this time, Aida?" Hikari grumbled, following Asuka into the classroom. The redhead seemed a little down as she stepped cautiously towards her desk. The Class Representative paused, turning to Raidon. "Shinji?" she asked. "What did you do to your hair?"

"Down here, Ms. Horaki," Shinji sighed, raising his hand lazily.

Hikari froze, then looked back at the boy standing beside Ikari's desk. Then she looked back at Shinji. Again, she stared up at the boy next to the desk. Kensuke started to chuckle to himself, their superior simply glancing back and forth, trying to clear the hallucination from her mind. "Wait... what?" Hikari squawked.

"Ms. Horaki," Kensuke started, "please meet Shinji's other half."

"Ikari Raidon," the Sixth Child smiled, extending his hand. Hikari nervously bowed, nearly smacking her head into the wrist of the boy. "Umm... you're supposed to shake hands, not smack them with your head."

The class representative blinked, then slowly extended her hand in return. Her wrist was jerked nearly out of place as Raidon gripped her palm tightly, delivering a firm handshake. Hikari blushed at the tactile contact. "This is... not normal for-" she began, unable to finish her sentence. Raidon released her hand, and gave a formal bow.

"I prefer more Western traditions," Raidon explained.

"An international student?" a girl from the crowd slowly emerged, smiling. A few of her closest friends followed, along with several guys from the soccer club. "Where have you been? How long will you stay?"

"No, I'm from Tokyo-2," Ikari sighed. "I'm just visiting family. I may transfer here, depending on the situation."

"Then, why the handshake?" Hikari asked, confused. "If you were born here..?"

"I just have a preference for Western methods," Raidon explained. "I don't mind some of our cultural standards, but bowing is so... annoying." The growing crowd of students were confused, their stares demanding an answer. "Bowing always puts you in a position of weakness to another. You have to take your eyes off of them for a moment, too. I do not like that. I would rather stand proudly, and embrace a man as my equal."

"...Oh," the class representative squeaked. Quickly, she tried to change the subject, an attempt to establish her dominance once again. "How long did you say you were staying?"

"I didn't say," Raidon answered coldly. "I have no idea just what the situation is yet."

"Situation?" Aida mused, wrinkling his brow. Then it struck him. There was only one reason Shinji's brother would be brought here, especially under the circumstances in which all of the Children seemed to arrive. "Don't tell me _you're_ a pilot, too!"

The class split into two opposing forces, one side cheering on the new arrival, while the other side booed him. Shinji just shook his head, burying his face deeper into his folded arms. Rei observed quietly, trying to return to the sights from her window seat. Asuka started to snarl, trying to wave attention back in her direction. She was, in her eye at least, the best pilot. She would not stand for having her pride taken away, especially by an upstart sent to replace her.

"This is going to be... interesting," both Ikaris grumbled in unison.

•••••••••••••

Gendo Ikari studied the schematics displayed on his desk's built-in monitor. The construct had been in storage just as long as Unit-01, but had never been revived. Had he performed regular testing on it as he had with Unit-01 over the years, perhaps there would be no need to take these precautions.

However, when Raidon disappeared, there was no need to keep this replica operational. Sealing it away in Terminal Dogma was the best option available to him. In a way, he was glad. The soul replication experiments starting in 2002 failed miserably, the subjects often coming back as drooling vegetables. Kyoko Zepplin Soryu was lucky, he thought, rapping the desk with his fingers nervously. She was at least capable of taking her own life afterwards.

Still, the commander sighed, had their attempts been successful, he would have been able to keep Yui at his side. But the technology failed, making her sacrifice necessary. It also made the acquisition of a soul for Unit-00 necessary, compatible or not. Naoko just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time.

The specifications checked out, and closing the schematics, Gendo picked up the secure phone on his desk. "Doctor, please remove Unit-Alpha from cryostasis, and begin preliminary testing." There was a long pause, the doctor shrieking on the other end. Her muffled words echoed in the dark office. "Yes, I understand the risks. However, Unit-01 is a liability, and Unit-02 is the only active combat model. Yes, I will have all of the necessary files declassified for your subordinates. Use whatever resources are necessary."

Hanging up the phone, Gendo rubbed his forehead with his hands, taking a deep breath. There was just one more problem. "It's still empty," he grumbled seemingly to himself. Then the footsteps sounded behind him, the aging sub-commander walking towards the single light source. "We cannot transfer Yui, and we know the dummy plug is unreliable. Suggestions?"

Kozou sighed. "Is it really necessary? That model is... far different than anything we have dealt with before."

"The Second Generation technology proved reliable in testing," Ikari retorted. "It may be eleven years old, but the prototype's equipment is far more advanced than even Unit-04's. Only the mass production models would rival it, and their systems are only upgrades to the First Generation." Gendo let out a feral smile. "The Second Generation is completely different."

"The prototype," Fuyutsuki began in defense, "wasn't meant for our purposes!"

"It is _perfect_ for our purposes!" Gendo argued. "It isn't meant for the scenario. It is a killing machine, pure and simple. We will need that when the old men decide we are no longer needed."

"Won't Unit-02 serve that purpose well enough? Why give the Third Child such a weapon?"

"Because the prototype is something that can be controlled. Unit-01 cannot."

"Not controllable enough for me," the professor argued after a moment's hesitation. "You _do_ remember it was a joint project with the Self Defense Forces, correct? They still have the schematics on file, as do the old men. They have the command codes to override the system, as well as the specifications to defeat it. Do you really think they would purposefully leave out the Second Generation in their mass production series, or not find some way to counteract it?"

"That is why we will make the necessary modifications," Ikari said. He opened a file on his desk's terminal, beginning to enter a security code. "Order Doctor Akagi to remove any unnecessary safeties. Also, I want both Shinji and Raidon trained how to use the failsafe mode."

"_That_ is precisely why I am hesitant of deploying it!" Kozou shouted. "An Eva which can operate independently from the MAGI is just asking for trouble!"

"We do not have a choice in the matter. Things are proceeding too quickly for us to play it safe. We will have to take chances." Gendo finished typing revisions to the decade old file, saving it, and uploading it to another terminal. "Sensei, in the event of my... untimely demise, I want you to carry out the following upgrades to Unit-01 and Unit-Alpha."

The professor walked behind the desk, studying the schematics. "You can't be serious!" he shouted. "That is FAR too much power to be entrusted to the Children! What if Seele captures the Eva series? What if the Self Defense Forces get there first, and then go after the old men? There are just too many variables, Ikari!"

"If that is the case, I will entrust you to destroy them both," the commander answered, "but not before it is absolutely necessary."

Fuyutsuki left the office feeling his feet drag. He was given another burden to carry, the likes of which easily exceeded that of his former student.

•••••••••••••

The classroom buzzed with excitement, watching Shinji nap, his head tucked into his arms sprawled out on the desk. The whispering continued again. "Where is his brother?" one girl asked. "The other one seems so cool! Do you think he's single?"

Hikari shook her head. It was the same excitement which always followed the arrival of a mysterious transfer student, who just happened to also be the pilot of the mechs which protected their home. NERV, she considered, really needed to work on their security measures. "So stupid," the class representative hissed under her breath. "All those resources, and they can't even hide your identities. It's like they _want_ us to know who you are."

"Is that... so bad?" Asuka mumbled, her eyes staring off into space. She refused to look at Horaki, but she didn't have to. The brunette knew something was wrong with her redheaded friend. "Would you really be friends with me if I were just another normal girl?"

"You're _hardly_ normal, Asuka," Hikari smiled. Soryu just seemed to shrink back into her desk, causing the class representative to rethink her response. "Is it that important I know you pilot the Eva?" The redhead nodded, forcing Hikari to pause for a sharp breath of air. "Asuka, piloting isn't _everything!_"

"It is to me," Asuka replied. "And it's being taken away."

"Away?" Hikari asked. Then it dawned on her. She wasn't the class representative for nothing, after all. Then again, it didn't take that high an intellect to find the cause behind Raidon's arrival. But Hikari was not concerned whether her friend piloted or not. Whether Asuka chose to believe that, the brunette would just have to hope would result in faith. "Asuka, you are my friend for _who_ you are, not what you are, what you have been, or what you will be." The brunette grinned. "I'm certain Shinji doesn't care, either."

"What does _he_ have to do with it?" Asuka sighed.

"Just because you can't see it doesn't mean I can't," Horaki smiled, playfully rearranging the redhead's hair into a frizzled mess. However, there was no reaction from the Second Child. "Asuka?"

"I'm not in a good mood today, Hikari," she answered hesitantly.

"...Okay," the class representative whispered, starting to walk away. "I'll be here after class, if you need to talk." She walked about the room, checking the clock on the wall adjacent to the classroom door. It was five minutes until the lunch break was over, and two students were missing. "Has anyone seen Ayanami or Ikari?"

A raven-haired girl pointed to Shinji's desk, the Third Child seeming to take a long needed nap.

"No, the _other_ one!"

•••••••••••••

The courtyard beside the baseball diamond formed the last few square meters of cobblestone before the vast frontier of the rich green grass. In the center of that courtyard was an oak tree, a tree indigenous to Americas planted by the first reconstruction teams to start on this Fortress City. There was something about the foreign structure, it's knotted, twisting branches reaching out in all directions, which made the courtyard more inviting for lengthy, serious discussions. The benches which formed a perfect square around the oak tree were particularly comfortable for long debates, such as the one between the First Child and her companion.

"You hate him that much?" Rei asked in her flat tone, her face flushing in anguish. She had just listened to the most crude, descriptive terminology she had yet to learn from her classmates used with perfect delivery to describe her mentor, and was determining what possible means of response she would use. Physical force seemed more than appropriate, but she had been warned about this once before. In the sanctuary of the GeoFront was one thing, but amongst others, her privileges to administer what justice she deemed necessary were restricted to the same level as those whose lives were in her master's command. She would be forced to play the equal to man once again.

"Hate is such a diluted word," Raidon grinned sadistically. "I admire him for giving me the strength necessary to feel no pain when I beat him to death with his own spine. Perhaps that clarifies my emotional state, as you put it."

"Curious," Rei barely whispered through clenched teeth, hoping to restrain this odd sensation building inside her. "You blame him for hurting your brother, and yet you nor your grandparents did nothing to save him. Why is that?" Raidon turned to see a criticizing stare, as though an adult were questioning his right to speak.

"The Ikaris- the _TRUE _Ikaris... were banned from making contact with Shinji," Raidon explained. "We had no idea where he was, and only learned of it when Gendo _chose_ to let us know."

"Yet you hid your existence from him," Rei asked, her teeth digging slightly into her bottom lip. "He never mentioned you before, but I believe he would have pride in you had he known you were alive."

"Did he not have pride in me before, when he thought I was dead?" Ikari asked. This troubled Rei, not so much in being stumped, without a comeback to the rebuttal, but because of the consequences of his meaning. "I must not have had any significance to him, unless I was alive. At least then, he would be proud of another lab rat to experiment with."

Ayanami bolted from the bench, and spun around, propelling her left hand across the boy's face. Rules or no rules, she would not allow such slander. There was no need to speak anymore, but just to stand there, observing Raidon's reaction. Deep inside her heart, she felt ashamed for what this boy had become, almost as though she had some responsibility for it.

"Tell me, Rei," Raidon asked, knowing full well she had not given him permission to use her first name so casually, "did you know Doctor Akagi was keeping my brother on methamphetamine?" Rei blinked, and again that surge of shame struck her in the gut. "Was it Gendo's plan? Did he want to keep my brother so drugged up he couldn't tell left from right anymore? Did he hope it would somehow help win this war of his, or was it just for the amusement?"

Rei had to stop for a minute, following the psychologist's advice to take deep breaths. She knew it was only a physiological method to treat the symptom of stress, not the cause. However, it did, for it's most part, seem to have a little benefit. "You speak as though you are not a part of our war," the First Child said after several attempts. "You are just as much a part of it as any human on this planet."

"Oh, I am certain if the big, scary monsters wanted to crush us, they would. They wouldn't be pissing their time away attacking the same location again and again in such weak, useless forms." Raidon frowned, clenching his fists. "If they wanted us dead, they would have done so by now. They are after something else."

A thought seemed to shoot through Ayanami's mind. It only lasted a split second, and she was unable to recall it exactly. She could only recall the feeling, a vague impression of the thought's meaning. However, the doubt which remained lingered for some time longer.

"Tell your bastard commander I'll fight," Raidon smiled, eyebrows pulled down in a savage expression. "But tell him I won't be fighting for his precious crusade. I'm fighting for Shinji."

"Why?" Rei asked, now completely shaken, though still seemingly emotionless.

"Because he is my brother," the Sixth Child beamed in an rage-filled pride. "Brothers should fight and die together, till the end."

End of Chapter VI

•••••••••••••

Comments/questions, please leave a review

•••••••••••••


	7. Chapter VII: Father and Sons

I do not own the rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, or any of the characters, equipment, or locations written in this fanfiction. The purpose of this fanfiction is merely for the non-profit enjoyment of other readers. If requested by Gainax, Hideki Anno, or other parties which represent aforementioned objects in this story, I will remove it promptly.

**Chapter VII:**

He didn't remember when he slipped back into his dream world, nor how long it lasted. However, when the slender hand fell on his shoulder, Shinji bolted from his seat. "Shinji?" a girl's voice asked. "You slept through the _entire_ afternoon! What's wrong?"

The Third Child shook his head, trying to clear his mind. The voice was distant, muffled in his ears. Slowly, however, he came back to consciousness, recognizing the class representative. "Huh?" he asked. "What... what time is it?" Then he noticed the ticking clock on the wall. "Already four o'clock?" he whined. "Ugh..."

"Shinji, do you feel alright?" Hikari pleaded.

"Why are you being so nice?" he asked. "Why aren't you complaining that I missed the last lectures for the day?"

The brunette looked stunned. "Why would I be that mean?"

"Because you naturally are... as class representative."

The reaction was almost instantaneous. "I am NOT!" she shouted. The girl caught herself, however, and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry... You're right. I do come off mean sometimes." Shinji gave her a skeptical look. "Okay, _all_ of the time! Are you happy?"

Ikari nodded, grinning.

"It's been... rough the last few weeks," she explained. "Toji's recovery has been... difficult." She saw the boy crumple into the desk, his eyes dumbly staring forward, brain seeming to shut down. "Shinji?" she pleaded. "Shinji, it... it wasn't your fault! It wasn't anyone's!"

"No... it was someone's fault..." he explained. "It has to be someone's fault. Things don't just happen without causation."

Hikari sighed. "He will be out of the hospital in another two weeks, and he wants to see you." She moved in closer, taking her hand and sliding it down his back. The movements were clumsy and awkward, such contact considered a betrayal of the one she truly cared for. However, she had no other idea how to express what she felt. "It isn't _your_ fault, you understand? He doesn't blame you, I don't blame you, and his _sister_ doesn't blame you!"

Ikari squinted for a moment at the corner moulding of the furthest wall of the room. "I can't _not_ feel guilty."

"Try," she sighed, smiling. "Now... what's wrong?"

He slowly explained the situation. The drugs, the fights with Misato, Asuka's latest fluctuations between compassion and hatred, as well as finding his brother. The latter subject is what was on his mind the most. "I... I can't remember anything about him!" he squeaked. "It's like someone just forced me into a room with a stranger, told me I'm supposed to know him, and then expect me to be on the best of terms with him."

Hikari sighed. "Not used to the sibling rivalry, are you?"

"What rivalry?" he asked. "There isn't any competition!"

"Then what's wrong with him?"

Shinji took a deep breath. "You'll think I'm crazy."

Hikari smiled. "Shinji, everyone already thinks you're crazy. How much worse could it be if you tell me?"

The Child snarled. "If I knew it was that bad, I wouldn't even come back here." Hikari giggled for a moment, but saw how the boy shrank back into the desk. "It's like he's my father. Not just the personality... but the very way he tries to look out for me. It's like he's another Misato, trying to push his own beliefs on me. Then I look at him, how mature he is, how strong he is-" Shinji stopped, and clenched his right fist. "We are twins!" he started to growl. "Why am I not like him? Why am I so weak?"

Horaki cringed. She didn't know what to say, or if she said anything, what good it would do. All she could do is sit beside him, her hand still gently patting his back. Finally, the silence broke as she noticed a dark figure step out from the doorway. "It looks like someone waited for you," she said, starting to smile. "You better follow her before she leaves you behind for good."

Shinji just set his head back into the desk. "Tell whoever it is to go away!"

"Not likely, Baka!" the Second Child muttered, her heavy footfalls denting the hard wood floor. "We have to make sure Raidon gets home... unless he just _happens_ to get lost."

"Why should I care?" Shinji asked, taking the girls by surprise. "He's more concerned taking care of his _weaker brother_ than worrying about himself. He should be fine."

Asuka glared at him. "So, you're admitting you're weak?" She had a sadistic grin plastered on her face. "Where is that stooge Kensuke when I need this recorded for posterity? The Invincible Shinji admitting weakness, it's priceless!" Her grin, however, started to fade as the boy simply sank back to the desk, staring at the interesting paint texture of the wall. "Hey, what's your problem?"

The Child did not respond. Asuka strode up to him, and shook the boy by his left shoulder, forcefully coaxing him. But again, there was no response. Soryu then had an epiphany. Mind you, an epiphany for Asuka Langely Soryu often involves an impressive display of violence and skillful control of her aggressive qualities.

Hikari finally tried to pry the girl away from her choke hold when Shinji turned blue.

•••••••••••••

"And you think this fuel cell adaptation will work?" Commander Ikari asked the blonde doctor. Ritsuko nodded, gesturing to the prototype sitting on the bottom of the test chamber. "I must admit, the data is impressive. Ten minutes of power at full combat strength will give us a far greater advantage."

"Third Branch, before its demise," Akagi began, "also gave us something useful." Gendo gave the woman a critical stare, knowing the S2 data sent before the critical error was useless to them. They had to start from scratch. But as she entered the commands into the control center's terminal, a schematic of another kind flickered to life on the screen.

"You have to be joking," Gendo muttered.

"With a major renovatoin of the city's power grid, it might be possible," she replied with encouragement. "The trick is to somehow reduce the electromagnetic radiation so we don't wipe out every semiconductor within the city limits."

"A horizontal mag-lev catapult is next to impossible to hide, Doctor," Ikari snapped. "We need practical upgrades."

"Then how about this?" This time, the latest schematic caught the commander's eye. "I thought you might find that more to your liking." Gendo let a savage, feral smile cross his face. "We have a small scale prototype that Rei can help us test. All we need is two weeks after the test model works, and we should be able to have four or five of the full-scale prototypes built."

"If you can make these work, the Lance may be completely useless against us. Excellent work, Doctor."

"I take it we have permission to proceed?"

Gendo nodded. "Make sure to put these modifications on _that_ _Unit_ as well." The doctor raised an eyebrow, but quickly hid her contrary point of view when the commander took her hand in his. "If you would care to accompany me, Doctor." She did not hesitate as they both took the elevator to his office in secret.

•••••••••••••

Misato rubbed at her eyes again, the effects finally wearing off. She had moved to the couch in the living room, and slept through four hours of the worst dramas she could find on the local television stations. She shook her head from time to time, thinking how pathetic and ridiculous the situation was between Mizuki and her hospitalized boyfriend, supposedly surviving a knife fight in her honor.

Then the major considered her own fate, being the only human to see hell on Earth; well, at least the first time around. She hadn't quite determined if last night was equivalent to hell, not after Kaji and her tried experimenting at college. It wasn't until she recognized the smell coming from the kitchen, and feeling a hint of guilt at making either of the boys clean up her mess. She realized it would be up to her to tackle that kitchen, and then her mind was made up. Last night, and the day after were both her second visit to hell.

There was a knock at the door. As Misato could be heard stumbling, a man in a yellow and red uniform, clearly a DHL delivery man, glanced down at his digital inventory clipboard. "Package for one Ikari Raidon," he spoke aloud, his voice echoing in Misato's still fragile ears. When the major opened the automatic door, the delivery man took a step back. She was clearly ill, the light blue blanket wrapped around her long, pink pajama shirt and pants. "Sorry to disturb you," he started, looking down at the package. "It doesn't need a signature, so I can just leave it in the doorway for Mr. Ikari if he isn't here."

"...No," Misato started, "I can take it." Her curiosity, and the boy's attitude had her curious. He had mentioned earlier how he was tied in with the wrong people before, and the last thing she wanted brought into her home, especially with Section Two looking in, were drugs, or worse. "What do I owe you?"

"The shipping was paid by the sender," the man answered simply. "Try to have a nice day, ma'am."

As the door closed, Misato shook the contents of the box. It wasn't anything special on the exterior, but it was quite large, nearly a meter long, and at least 25 centimeters in width. But for it's length and width, it was unusually short, perhaps ten centimeters at most. It also seemed to be on wheels, as it rolled back and forth in the packaging. Perhaps she would have made a better guess if her mind didn't still feel so foggy.

She elected to ask Raidon as soon as he returned.

•••••••••••••

The father couldn't help but give his sadistic smile as the two Ikaris entered the dark office. He frowned, however, when he noticed the Second Child step into his forbidden sanctuary. "Leave us!" he ordered. The girl, however, did not shrink back like before. While Rei was ordered to come to offer her views of the situation, Asuka had elected to tag along, simply to see the Commander. This, however, was not a meeting one could join by choice.

"Allow her to stay," Raidon retorted, glaring easily into the man's eyes. The orange glow, while forcing the Third to shiver, did not affect him. He had seen such attempts to impress or intimidate before. They were the stuff of legends on the street, ways to make the pushers look cool. But that's all it was, he realized. It was a look. "I'd prefer an objective third party," the missing Ikari continued. "Besides, if I'm going to replace her, she'll need to be informed, right?"

Gendo's pose sagged for a moment, his hands flinching only under his close inspection. It was so uncomfortable, looking into the boy's eyes. The eyes were that same shade of blue as Yui's, but didn't have the softness to it, not like Shinji. "That is not your decision to make, Pilot."

Raidon snarled. "I didn't make my decision _yet_. So, hold off on ordering me around like I'm a mindless automaton. I'm a civilian until _I_ say so, got it?"

"You don't know your place, boy," the commander growled, starting to stand. His hands were planted firmly on the desk, both to make an imposing bearing, but also to hide the trembling. He couldn't understand why the room suddenly felt so cold. The man felt his age quickly sink into his bones, the joints creaking. He wondered if this is how Fuyutsuki felt, before his mind worked back to the original reason he was here. "The situation has changed. Unit-02, like it's pilot, are useless now."

Shinji watched Asuka cringe for a moment, before her masque of anger slipped over her face like a veil. It sickened him inside, thinking how easy it was to shield herself from the outside world. Then again, he considered, he did the same thing. His methods were different, but he did the same thing. Now that he thought about it, Toji, Kensuke, Hikari, Rei, even Misato all fit that description. They all hid their emotions behind masques, regardless of their definition. But Raidon, Shinji considered, was unique. It felt... disturbing... being around him.

"Is that so?" Raidon continued to stare, tilting his head to the side. For a brief instant, he allowed himself the chance to break eye contact, glancing down at his shoes. The marks on the lacing and the soles of his shoes were starting to get serious. He would have to invest in another pair shortly. His eyes back on the man, the Sixth Child let out a smile. "Perhaps you could enlighten me, as to what you wanted me for, then? I understood I was going to pilot her machine."

"There is... another Unit," Gendo let out a grin.

Shinji and Asuka both snapped their heads to attention, studying the glowing orange orbs which seemed to hover above the oak desk. "A-another... Eva?" Shinji breathed. His mind ticked back and forth from positive to negative connotations. Another Unit meant Asuka would be spared her disgrace, but at the same time, there was something unsettling about this. Would the new Unit fail like Toji's, or like Nevada? "Where... did this Unit come from?"

Raidon turned on his heel, starting for the door. "I don't like the sound of this," the last Ikari snarled. "Go find someone else to play with, _Dad_." There was nothing, he considered. There was no _way_ he would be swayed by anything that was said in that room.

"It was the final work of your mother."

Gendo smiled as both twins froze. The look Shinji had given was expected, one of guilt and fear. Raidon could only help but smirk, and started mimicking a violinist. He started towards the desk. "And I suppose you won't give me any of the details until I blindly agree without a contact or anything, right?"

The father shifted uncomfortably. No, this wasn't going according to the scenario at all. He was losing ground quickly. "Of course," he answered calmly, while his eyes darted towards Raidon's shoes. The Child didn't miss the cue, and considered the various signals. His old man depended on him more than he did him. The last Ikari knew the ball was in his court, if he could manage to serve it correctly.

"Dr. Akagi is in charge of those mechs, right?" Raidon yawned. "I want to see her _and_ the Unit before I make a decision."

The commander shuddered. There was no reason whatsoever for him to show a civilian the experimental Unit. It was a security risk, one that he could not allow. But he had the sneaking suspicion he would not hold any sway. Furthermore, while he could technically force the boy... his boy... to cooperate, that would not prove useful for his purposes. He required a Unit that could operate separate of the MAGI, and to do that, he needed someone willing to serve. Well, he thought, he would be more than willing if he used _that_ device, but that would require him entering the Unit of his own accord first.

He would not be stopped, he thought. There was no way his search would be in vain. Unit-01 and Shinji were no longer reliable, and that girl still in his office was failing just as quickly. This was his option, his only option. "I will call her in to escort you," Gendo grumbled.

End of Chapter VII

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Comments/questions, please leave a review

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	8. Chapter VIII: Painful Lessons

I do not own the rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, or any of the characters, equipment, or locations written in this fanfiction. The purpose of this fanfiction is merely for the non-profit enjoyment of other readers. If requested by Gainax, Hideki Anno, or other parties which represent aforementioned objects in this story, I will remove it promptly.

**Chapter VIII:**

The Unit was shrouded in white nylon fabric and poly-vinyl dust covers, left sitting in the confines of Terminal Dogma for years. Ritsuko studied the creature with a hint of distaste. The work was left incomplete, funding cut off by the Japanese government when the Defense Forces realized a mass-production variant of this model was impossible, let alone impractically expensive. Each Unit of the Second Generation had to be practically custom designed for the pilot's battle strategy, let alone their neurological specifications. Even the psyche of a pilot needed to be considered before the project could begin.

Fortunately, the blonde thought, preparations for Raidon's "birth" were made long in advance, when the concept of an Evangelion was first proposed. She glanced over at the young man, still wearing his brother's school uniform, wondering just how much more she could learn about Yui's greatest creation by reading through the remnants of the long dead woman's files. The clipboard held against her side contained all the secrets for both man and machine to function, a recipe of all the proposed upgrades, and a prediction of the effectiveness of the most deadly weapons system entrusted to a single human being.

Fortunately, there was nothing too human about the Sixth Child.

"For now, Shinji's spare plugsuit should do just fine," the doctor explained, tossing a clear plastic bag with the white outfit towards the boy. "Once you choose to continue with us, then we will fit you with your own."

"Ah, the joys of twins sharing..." Raidon rolled his eyes. "Wait, what did you just say about me _choosing_ to stay?"

"It's obvious you will not leave," Ritsuko replied. "You are not the type to leave things unfinished."

"I'm also not a sucker, like my brother apparently is." Ritsuko scowled. "You said this Unit was unique. What's so special about it?"

"This was a joint NERV and Japanese Defense Forces project to combine tactical weaponry directly into the Eva series," the doctor explained. "Until Alpha was built, none of the Eva series had been built specifically as a weapon." She stopped, her teeth snatching her tongue before it revealed anything more. The fact the Eva series was not meant to be used as a weapon could lead to other questions, and as Raidon stood there, his eyebrows furrowed, perhaps, she considered, he had caught on. Apparently, however, he would not ask that question today.

"I see some unusual components here," he started. "Well, okay, unusual for a giant walking robot. Just what did you mean this Eva was designed specifically as a weapon?" The latter Ikari strode down the catwalk, studying the features of the barely humanoid object. There was an indication of bipedal locomotion, but what were legs seemed only to serve as struts, the thin, lightly reinforced stilts only a secondary support structure. The beast leaned forward, the unusually long, slender arms keeping the thing from falling to the floor of the Cage Three.

Then he noticed something, a glowing, pulsing blue light hidden under the thick chest armor and plastic tarp. Raidon approached cautiously, pulling the sheets away, only to reveal a small liquid crystal display. The rectangular display was approximately the size of a large man's hand, and it continuously flashed a single word, written in English: STANDBY.

"Alpha was built as a high speed weapons platform and interceptor," Akagi finally answered. "In the event the original Eva series failed to defeat an Angel, NERV's support infrastructure failed, or a fast response supply of support fire needed to be mobilized, Alpha would be deployed." She frowned. "_This_, not the Eva, is truly man's last hope."

"If that's the case, why is it still in storage?" Raidon turned, his right hand tracing slowly over the display. Somehow, it felt so comforting, so natural to be near to this... whatever it was. "From what has been released to the public, there have been quite a few close calls, nearly destroying all of the city. What sense is there in keeping this locked away, when my brother could use all the help he could get?"

"There are some... complications," Ritsuko began. "First, this is a prototype of a completely new operating system, something not even Unit-02 or the later production series has been running. Naturally there are still some bugs in the system, but nothing we can't handle with today's improvements in high level programming. Furthermore, while this was meant to be the flagship of an entirely new line of Eva, it could only be tailor made for one specific pilot. The Eva series, at least, can have their parameters reset to handle different pilots, but this... this is very picky about who is behind the controls."

"And I've been selected because?" Raidon glowered, his voice low, tearing at the woman's ears like sandpaper. He knew the answer, but couldnot bring himself to believe it. How could something built while he was still a child be made specifically for him? It was the only logical solution, but not one that was easy to swallow.

"As you know, Shinji is your twin brother," Ritsuko began. "Your mother was the chief engineer of the Eva series, along with others who supported her developments in the various other branches. Because an Eva could only be piloted by post-Impact Children, and you fell into that category, she chose to leave Unit-01 and Unit Alpha to the two of you."

"She _chose_ to give us them?" Raidon asked skeptically. "Or do you mean she forced us to pilot them? It's not like she would have the permission from her superiors to make something only a direct family member could pilot." He stopped, noticing the blue LCD panel. The text changed, his hand resting on the faceplate:

ALPHA RECOGNIZES IKARI, RAIDON

"You mean..." Ikari breathed. "She _actually_ did it? She actually built this for me? B-but how? How would she know my specifications beforehand? How _could_ she know?"

"Because you were built for it," Ritsuko let the sickening sentence drop from her mouth. The words clanged against the boy's brain, sending a sickening churning in his stomach to motion. There were too many implications to consider with what was said. All he could do is silence the torrent of new thoughts, and focus on being angry at the one truth that was just revealed to him.

"I'm... what am I?" he growled. The doctor refused to answer. He started to walk slowly, carefully towards the woman. "I-I said..." he trembled. "I _said_... what... am... I?" Again, the doctor refused to answer, only standing there like a mindless doll. She smirked at that thought, considering how it applied to so many people here at NERV, particularly those who did not know how easily their freedom was taken away. The right to choose a fate was overrated, especially in this place.

Had she been paying more attention to her surroundings rather than contemplating the amusing twists of phrases in her mind, perhaps she would have not been caught off guard. The Sixth Child gripped her by her labcoat collar, jerking her forcefully forward. For his size, the boy was strong; much stronger than the predictions made just over a decade ago. "I ASKED YOU A QUESTION!" the boy roared. "WHAT AM I?"

Ritsuko's neck rocked back and forth, her head seemingly attached to her body by a spring. She tried to reach up and stop him, but as she did, the boy let her go, simply dropping her to the ground like a piece of useless garbage. Garbage, the woman thought. She reflected on the previous nights with their father, and the way she was being used. That summed her up, alright. She was just garbage to the Ikaris and their byproducts.

"And if I refuse to tell you?" Akagi snapped. "You're a big boy. You can figure it out!"

Suddenly, Raidon's face lit up with a dangerous grin. "Yes, of course, Doctor," he snarled. "I can figure it out just fine on my own..." His hand reached out for the display, tapping the newly displayed touch-screen button once.

•••••••••••••

Shinji had a bad feeling when he was left in the commander's office with only Asuka. His father had been hastily recalled to the command tier, without so much as a word to explain his motives. Rei was ordered to accompany him, as usual, leaving both Second and Third Child in the darkness until given permission to leave. "You really think I'm weak?" he asked simply, his eyes staring out towards the large picture window beyond the engraved stone surfaces and intimidating furniture.

"What?" Soryu asked, taken entirely by surprise. She stopped, thinking back to what the boy had just said. "What do you think, Baka?" she cried in her typical agitated note. "Of course I think you're weak! You do whatever others tell you to do, just like that damn doll!"

"I asked you," Shinji started, "not to call her that."

"And what is the weak, helpless little brother going to do about it?" Asuka cooed, her patronizing posture seeming to cause her body to grow in size as she approached. "Going to cry for momma in your nightmares like befo-" Her train of thought, not to mention her breathing, was interrupted by a sudden crushing force against her larynx. She managed to back up just in time to reduce the damage to a fair sized bruise, but the momentum was enough to knock her down on the ground.

Shinji Ikari was above her, straddling her waist, hands clenched around her throat. "W-who..." he snarled. "Who is weak, again?" He locked eyes with the girl, and managed to hold his own for a few seconds, before the girl jolted towards him, her hands reaching, clawing at his eyes. Shinji retreated, but Soryu pushed on, rising to her feet, and pinning the Third to the nearest wall.

He stood there, his breathing just above a whisper as the redhead froze, keeping her eyes locked on his. "You are weak," she said matter-of-factly. "You still don't get it, do you? You _always_ apologize, even for things that aren't your fault. When you make a decision and it doesn't work out, or people don't like it, you try to take it back. Then... then, you only talk to me when _I _decide to comfort you first!" The last sentence was the hardest for her to utter, a small portion of her frontal lobe pondering if the monitoring equipment in the commander's office would overhear their conversation, and if so, whom would not be privy to their little discussion?

Shinji's hands found new strength, and gripping the girl's wrists, forced them back from his shoulders, sending her stumbling two or three steps backwards. Their civil discussion had degenerated into a child's shoving match. Somehow, the observers watching the live video feed considered, they always knew it would come down to something like this. "You have room to talk!" the boy yelped. He was gaining traction with his new found footing, forcing the girl to retreat. "You constantly gripe about every little thing I do, but refuse to do anything yourself! I have to bend over backwards just to mildly please you, and even then, I'm only another toy to keep your amusement. You call me a pervert, a coward, and an idiot, when you do everything in your power to try and get me to oogle your pathetic excuse for a body."

The girl shuddered, but his stinging comments just added fuel to the fire. "You... you stupid, ungrateful DOG!" she yelled, shoving back against the boy's gripping arms sending him a good five steps back towards the wall. "Maybe the only way to motivate someone as spineless as you is to force you to make something better of yourself! If you were _half_ the man Raidon is-"

"Don't you DARE compare me to my brother!" Shinji screamed. His hands broke contact with the girl's wrists, and reached out, delivering first a left jab, then a right hook. One punch, the observers thought, could be argued as a simple flurry of uncontrolled emotion. Two was pushing it. But the crude copy of a barfight breaking out in the commander's office was not something heated words alone could take the blame for.

"They have a lot of energy, those kids..." Kaji commented, just hearing the gritting teeth of Fuyutsuki in the distance.

•••••••••••••

Gendo snarled, looking over at Ritsuko. The clean slap he delivered left a small welt along her left cheek. "I asked you... how much did you tell him?" Again, the woman remained silent. "_Nevermind_," he growled. He stared at the Unit in Cage Three, as the cellphone in his right coat pocket shook in the silent vibrate mode. Answering with a simple, gruff "yes", the commander's face tightened at each word from the caller. "Understood," he breathed. "Encrypt all of the weapon safeties, and keep the Unit on battery power. It should fail in a few more minutes." Turning, he glared at Ayanami standing by his side. "Rei," he barked. "I understand you have developed a rapport with my sons."

"Sir?" she asked.

"You will join the doctor in the control room, and try to talk him down from whatever it is he is doing."

The softest, almost indistinguishable sigh came from Ayanami as she turned on her heel, walking towards the changing rooms. "Yes... Sir."

•••••••••••••

Fuyutsuki had long since switched off the monitor, realizing the two Children wouldn't kill each other. They were too injured to do any more damage to each other now. Both had used up what endurance they had a long time ago, and could only stand, if they could do that. Rather, the contest had now turned into a "stand" off, as in each tried to stay on their feet longer than the other, the minor concussions starting to overtake their balance. "Just send a few nurses from the hospital with some restraints," he grumbled into the cellphone. "We'll deal with the disciplinary measures later."

Asuka stared through the puffy, enflamed bruises distorting her vision. Her teeth seemed to rattle freely in her head whenever she tried to talk, so she opted to keep her jaw locked shut when she spoke. "Shtill not _had... _ enuff... Thlird Chyld?" her gurgling throat uttered. The minor cuts above her eyes started to bleed into her eyelids, the dry, encrusted blood weighing them down. Squinting, then choosing to close her eyes entirely, Soryu still had not heard a reply. "Well..Chin-ji?" she mumbled.

Ikari slumped slightly to his left, cradling his right arm. "You really know how to take a punch," he started to laugh, before the bruised ribs forced him to stop. It was taking all his effort to stay on his two feet, his calves screaming to stop. However, he knew Asuka was close to falling as well, and after all she had said, he wouldn't _dare_ let her win this time. He finally understood what she was trying to do, but wondered if there was not a better way to encourage him. "A-Asuka?" he asked, noticing the girl limping towards him.

"C-ome here, Bah-ka..." she sighed contentedly. Slowly, he stumbled towards her, each movement inviting another flaring pain from his left side. The girl's head collided with his right shoulder, her arms hanging loosely over his arms. Her knees buckled, forcing her to grip his shoulders for support. The sudden force downward stung Ikari's ribs again. "Ay'm not gohing to losse to you, goht it?"

"This is cheating, Brat!" he smirked. It took him how many sorties with the girl, and that was the best pet name he could come up with? He had to do better than that, but then again, baka wasn't much better. "You're supposed to stand on your own."

"You broke mhy foot... dummy!" she started to snicker. "Ith's your fault, so you'hre my crutch, right?"

"You broke your own foot trying to kick _me_, remember?" The boy started to lean his weight on the opposite side of her limp, causing the German first to curse, then to chuckle. "And _I'm_ not losing to _you, _got that?"

"Wh-en did you be-come _such_ a gentlemahn..?" the redhead grinned, before the both of them passed out, each slumping towards each other as they crumpled to the floor. Fortunately for Shinji, Asuka softened his impact with the floor, while Ikari managed somehow to take the weight off of the girl's broken foot.

End of Chapter VIII

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Comments/questions, please leave a review

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	9. Chapter IX: Numbness and Feeling

I do not own the rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, or any of the characters, equipment, or locations written in this fanfiction. The purpose of this fanfiction is merely for the non-profit enjoyment of other readers. If requested by Gainax, Hideki Anno, or other parties which represent aforementioned objects in this story, I will remove it promptly.

**Chapter IX:**

The answers flooded Raidon's mind, never letting go of his attention as he keyed the entry plug ejection sequence. He could barely grasp it. Was his birth, his destiny, all of it simply Gendo's to dispose of at will? It sickened him to think his life was valued so low, traded off from one "parent" to the next like a piece of property included in a will. Yet that best summed up the situation. In Yui's mind, he was incapable of making his own decisions. This changed things entirely.

He could not hate Gendo any longer, the boy realized. He was the same as him, as Shinji. The three of them were all tools in the mind of Yui Ikari. Granted, she loved them, but love and respect as free individuals are two different things. One can love a pet and still consider it property, just as one can love their relatives obligated to carry out a sequence of events. Yui, Raidon now understood, was to blame for everything.

But that concept was what sickened him the most. His mother, the one he was supposed to hold up above the relatives who came and went, above those who described him as expendable, was the worst of them all. He had been worshipping a false idol. Disillusionment was not something he could easily adjust to, no matter how strong he had made himself over the years. Then he reminded himself his drive to become stronger was simply a function of his program, something Yui had counted on.

"There's nothing I can do without it being my fate," he snarled, mashing the controls to his left with a balled up fist.

The armed guards aimed directly at the occupant of the entry plug as the cockpit opened to the cold atmosphere of Cage Three. Three hours, the pilot considered. It had taken three hours to fully grasp what he was, and what fate had in store for him. Why did it have to be so hard? He wondered if prior scapegoats in the history of mankind were given a similar burden. No, prior scapegoats were not engineered specifically to keep another from being hurt. Well, there was that one guy, he considered, but that wasn't supposed to be the result of man.

"Ikari Raidon!" the lead guard shouted. "Stand up slowly, and step out of the Eva with your hands on top of your head!" His subordinates aimed directly at the Child, still keeping the safeties engaged. There was something so wrong about shooting a boy. The leader sighed. He knew his team would not shoot someone they were supposed to defend. Fortunately he did not discriminate when it came to orders.

The boy did not hesitate, simply following the directions he was given. The headache over the last three hours made him more docile than he wished to be. Or was it the fact he was facing a squad of men with guns? Fist fights were one thing, but the threat of death without the chance to retaliate was unappealing. He would comply, until he had another chance to strike. "Stupid," he ground out in anger.

"What was that, Pilot?" the old man's voice boomed from the loudspeakers. Raidon looked up slowly, staring into the eyes of the commander. Next to him, Rei stood, looking down in a forlorn grimace. At least, that was the impression he made of her. His lips pulled into a snarl. He knew precisely why she was there. Gendo was the stick, and Rei was the carrot.

"You and I," Raidon answered with a wry smile. "We're both chasing after someone who never wanted us. She only saw us as convenient." Ikari watched Rokubungi's confident visage shrink, his mouth turning down in fury. Behind the man's shades, the Child could have sworn Gendo's eyebrows twitched. "How does it feel to be expendable, like me?"

Ayanami saw it only out of the corner of her eye, a small device held in Gendo's hand, the man pressing one of a myriad of buttons. Then she heard the screams. The boy standing in the entry plug squirmed, his plugsuit seeming to vacuum seal around him. The wrinkles and folds in the clothing vanished as the synthetic polymers pulled tighter against his body. Raidon fell out of the plug, toppling onto the catwalk as the guards moved in, the red dots of the laser sights dancing over his figure. "He's out!" the team leader called. Still, Gendo held the button down.

"Sir, he's down!" the leader called up. "We've got the situation under control-"

"Sir?" Rei looked up in confusion. No, Ritsuko thought as she stood beside the two. Ayanami's eyes were wider than normal, her face turning a shade lighter, lips pursed as her hands reached out slowly toward the man. The doctor wondered why now the doll showed concern. "Sir, Raidon is no longer resisting."

'Did she just call him by his name?' the blonde thought.

Gendo didn't answer, but continued to hold the button down. The screaming had long since stopped, but new, more horrifying sounds emanated from the body as the boy was being constricted. That was when it happened. Ritsuko thought she was hallucinating, or perhaps it was a dream. The First Child reached forward, and slapped the remote out of the commander's hand. It took several seconds for Akagi to convince herself what had just happened was real.

"Get a medic!" the leader called out. "We have to cut him out of this thing!"

"The medics say they'll take five minutes to get here," one of the subordinates called back. His hand over his left radio earpiece, he spoke again into the microphone boom before turning back to the leader. "The Second and Third Child are being processed."

Ayanami blinked, then turned to Ritsuko just as Gendo smacked the disobedient construct aside. Rei hit the floor hard, her right arm making a snapping noise as she landed. The girl winced, then cringed, her mouth shut tight as she whimpered. Pain was still so alien to her. She had experienced much of it as of late, but it still seemed so strange and cruel. It was just another reminder to her she was forced to exist among these other people as one of them, under the same conditions they were granted.

Akagi fumed, glaring first at the albino cringing on the floor, and then the man she was involved with trying to hide his anger through statue-like frigidity. It was so hard for her to choose. Did she side with the master, or the master's disobedient puppet? Both had stung her in ways she could not forgive, or at least she felt she couldn't forgive them at the moment. Still, was one guilty and the other an unwilling accomplice? If that was the case, which one was the more innocent? Another question that plagued her in that instant was should she be supporting the more innocent one, or the one who was driven to accomplish their tasks?

But she already knew the answer as she strode up to the First Child, easing the girl off of the floor. Ritsuko supported Rei's back, helping her into a sitting position as she tenderly applied pressure to the limp arm. "Commander," Ritsuko started, trying hard not to stutter. Her fear would not dissipate, no matter how she tried. "This is a questionable outcome. If Asuka and Shinji are seriously injured, then we are left with no pilot-"

The commander reeled on the woman, raising his hand to strike her. Akagi shuddered. She had been hit many times by this man, both for professional and personal misconduct. She would do anything to avoid being hit again. But did she want to? Now that she considered it from a logical standpoint, would she willingly sacrifice the one who would offer a greater chance of survival to avoid temporary pain? Had her emotions been easier to understand and express, perhaps the decision would not be so hard.

The elder Ikari froze, restraining his hand, and stared back down at the catwalk while his son was being placed on the stretcher. "See to the treatment of the pilots," he muttered.

Misato felt so helpless, receiving the notification from headquarters, but unable to act on it. There was no way she could face the staff at NERV after recovering from the pills. How would she explain to Ritsuko what happened without being disciplined? She cringed. Was fear truly her only motivator these days? Was that the only reason she kept going?

Katsuragi sighed, and made her way to the shower, hoping to get the stink of alcohol and the drugs out of her pores. It was already past midnight, but maybe, if she felt clean enough, she would risk walking into work. Stumbling slightly, she looked into the kitchen, and the disaster area still left behind. It was then she felt the pit of her stomach sink to her knees.

The kitchen of this apartment was the window to all the happenings between the pilots and her situation. Whether she cooked, Shinji cooked, or in most cases, Shinji spending all night cleaning, this kitchen revealed the social situation at that very instant. The broken beer bottles, scattered boxed dinners, and dirty dishes sent flying during her panicked fit nearly a day before were still there. She had not cleaned up afterwards. It truly was a view into her and the pilots' characters.

The major couldn't stand it any longer. She had the entire day to think about what Raidon had said about Asuka, the commander, and her, especially. As the woman grabbed a wash rag from the chrome handle of the oven, wetting it

in the sink, she stared at her reflection in the warped surface of the chrome pots and pans. She did not like what she saw.

Raidon woke up to the sound of whimpering. He was reclined in a bed, wrapped in white sheets, and staring up at the foam ceiling panels. The fluorescent lights weren't exactly blinding, but they did sting him, the overall brightness too intense. Blinking, he turned his head slowly to the source of the noise.

Rei Ayanami's arm was being wrapped in a cast, Ritsuko standing over the nurse applying the plaster and bandaging. "It will take several weeks," the doctor began. "We may have to adjust your diet to increase your rate of recovery." Akagi sighed. "You may have to consider eating meat."

"But..." Rei started. She glanced towards Ikari, catching his eyes with her dull, lifeless gaze. The sensation was uncomfortable to her, forcing her to look away. "I... dislike eating meat."

"It's either that, or we up your dosages," the blonde muttered.

"Don't let her drug you up, Rei," the boy's voice ground out like clashing gears. The nurse froze, looking over at the boy. Ritsuko, however, held the Child's stare in a dead lock. "Do you know what she's been doping Shinji with?" Again, Ritsuko did not move, nor even show a hesitant twitch.

"R-Raidon?" Ayanami uncharacteristically stuttered.

"Meth, Rei," the boy hissed. "She's been tricking Misato and Asuka into keeping him stoned out of his mind." At this, the nurse flinched, dropping the support on Rei's tender forearm. The First Child winced, catching the nurse's attention again.

"Is that true, Doctor Akagi?" the brunette nurse asked, finishing the bandage wrap.

"It's the only thing to counter the dreams," Ritsuko started, but forced her mouth shut. She could not say anything more. Rei started looking at her questioningly, making the woman wonder about her loyalty to the Child. She had stepped in to protect what was turning out to be a traitor. "Any other doctor would agree with me-"

"I don't see any other doctors around here, do you?" Raidon snapped. He tried rising up to a sitting position, finding his head spinning. Suffocation by plug suit was not the best way to go, he noted, and decided he would never oppose his father while in that gear again. Anything his father controlled, including this woman, this _doctor_, was in his favor. Until he could hold all the winning cards, the true Ikari could only work at acquiring resources.

"You're not going anywhere, Pilot," Ritsuko started, her lips curling back in what resembled a smile. Was she truly happy? The blonde thought about it guiltily for a moment. Of course she was happy, and why shouldn't she be? This was the mindless barbarian who not only tried to strangle her, but attacked Misato, Asuka, and just tried meddling with Unit Alpha. "Until a psychological exam is conducted, and the commander is satisfied, you aren't going anywhere."

The nurse turned to Ritsuko, glancing at her wristwatch. "Doctor, if there is nothing else, I need to check up on the other Children."

Raidon responded instantly. "What do you mean?" he asked. When the answer did not come fast enough, he yelled. "I said, what did you mean?"

Ayanami glanced over at the boy, seeing a fierceness, a savageness in his gaze that caused a sensation to wash through her mind. It was something instinctive, almost primordial. All she knew is that something about Raidon at that moment, something about his bristling, snarling figure made his company desirable. It was as though the brutal savagery she could see in his eyes was somehow attractive. Was it the desire to be protected? Was this what she heard her classmates describe about an overprotective, macho boyfriend that made them gush? Or was it the fact that even with that savagery, she could see the intellectual control holding him back by just the fringes of a well-worn leash? Perhaps, Rei considered, noticing a slight burning sensation building up on her cheeks, that was the secret of this emotion she only observed in others. It was a delicate balance of mental faculties controlling a brutal, hideous intent.

But did she find it attractive because she felt it was used for good, or that he was balancing close to the realm of evil?

"The Second and Third Child were involved in an altercation earlier today," Ritsuko sighed. "Both suffered serious injuries, restricting us to only the two of you being viable pilots."

"Altercation?" Rei asked, her eyes widening in a hint of shock.

"Who won?" Raidon blurted out nonchalantly, receiving several offended stares. "What?"

The Children in question kept their eyes closed, though the sensation of the horrid fluorescent lighting could still be perceived through their swollen eyelids. Asuka was the worst off of the two, but Shinji did not consider his position any better. The soft sound of shallow breathing echoed in the confines of the shared hospital room. "Shin-ji?" Asuka asked, her jaw held tight in bandages as a temporary fix to the loose teeth.

"...Yeah?" Ikari coughed our hoarsely, his ribs screaming at him in protest.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" the response from the redhead came slowly.

The Third Child cringed. "You know why," he answered, taking particular care not to contract his lungs. Of course she knew why. She had known for nearly a week now, and yet she still had to ask? Ikari could not understand the girl. He tried turning his head to the left, seeing her out of the corner of his eye. Even with her face wound in bandages like a mummy, there was something undeniably cute about her.

"But this morphine stuff is _great_," she emphasized, enjoying the sensation of prickling numbness throughout her body. "Doesn't it help with the... dreams?"

Ikari shuddered, his eyes snapping open just minutes before from a half doze. "No, it doesn't." For a moment, just a fraction of a second, Shinji registered a change in Soryu's face. Her lips, however swollen they were, pulled downward. "They never stop... they never go away."

That was when he felt the sensation. It was light at first, like an insect landing on his free hand. Then he recognized the texture of human fingers enclosing his left wrist. He forced his eyes to focus, taking in Asuka's face, her eyes still closed as she groped for his outstretched arm.

"Your brother is safe and sound, Baka," she muttered. "What else is there to dream about?"

Shinji couldn't hold back the few facts he recovered from the dream world any longer. "Asuka... your mother... what did she do, for work, I mean?"

Soryu shook her head. "Don't want to talk about it," she slurred, her fingers starting to loosen around his wrist. Her hand was almost pulled back to her side of the cramped room, when the prickling, painful sensation intensified over her right hand. She struggled to force her eyes open, only to see a blurry haze of the boy's fingertips stroking her skin. "Shinji," she pleaded uncharacteristically. "Not... now. Wait until after we get out."

The motion sensor's timer clicked off, the light winking out in the room as the full moon shone brightly through the window to Asuka's side of the room. The light was so odd, so disturbing at times, she considered. It made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. At least, she thought it did, but couldn't feel it. The buzzing sensation faded in her wrist, followed by light snoring to her right.

She fought against the urge for a full three minutes, until the terror of the looming moon convinced her otherwise. She struggled at first, but found the boy's hand again, and clutched it tightly. Turning her face away from the window, she tried to focus on him. She would do anything to not see that shade of white again.

End of Chapter IX

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	10. Chapter X: Duty

I do not own the rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, or any of the characters, equipment, or locations written in this fanfiction. The purpose of this fanfiction is merely for the non-profit enjoyment of other readers. If requested by Gainax, Hideki Anno, or other parties which represent aforementioned objects in this story, I will remove it promptly.

**Chapter X:**

The phone rang several times before Misato, hunched over the floor of the kitchen, finally answered. "Yes?" she demanded, the stained rag falling from her hands to the floor. "What? When-?" The woman's face twitched as the voice over the internal speaker recited the monologue. "I understand," the woman sighed. "Okay, I'll be there shortly."

Groaning as she rose to her feet, Katsuragi inspected her handiwork. The apartment was... well... clean. She looked around again. Shinji had not done this, nor Asuka, nor Raidon. _She_ had done it. She had simply forced herself to do what was necessary, and accomplished her goal. She looked to the living room, and her prior success again, the floors vacuumed, surfaces dusted, everything in proper order.

All of this success, this turning of a new leaf, the woman thought, only to have all of her Children locked away.

"Damnnit..." she sighed, reaching slowly for the Renault's keys. As she made her way to the living room, however, she froze in mid step. Looking back, she saw the door to the kitchen. Then she almost thought she saw through the kitchen door, to the remaining bottle of pills with the prescription label, the ones prepared by Akagi. Sitting next to them were the last two six-packs of Yebisu.

Stuffing the bottle with the black marker strokes over the patient information into the neatly tied garbage bag, Misato hefted the two packages of beer to the ledge of the balcony. Maybe ten meters away was the construction site, a cleared lot in the initial stages of accepting a new residential complex for the refugees from the southern district of the city. She thought of Kaji, of Ritsuko, and the old times back at college. The smile faded, however, when she recalled where she was now, and how she had gotten there. Most importantly, she remembered where the others in their trio had gone to.

Misato Katsuragi slung the two plastic rings of aluminum-sealed liquid payload with all the strength her anger could provide skyward.

-----------------

When Raidon opened his eyes, seeing the blur hovering over him, he scowled. "You're alive..." he murmured, his face pulling into a deeper frown. "And to think, I was _this_ close to stealing your big screen tv."

"Not funny, Ikari," the major replied, arms crossed. The nurse and Section Two agents standing about the bed leaned in closer, trying to overhear the conversation. Misato, however, wanted to keep the conversation private. "Leave!" she ordered.

As the observers of their upcoming debate scurried from the small room in the intensive care ward, the major glared at the boy, who glared right back at her. "You got what you wanted, okay Ikari?" she hissed. "The beer, the drugs, they're all gone. The apartment's clean, and you put me through misery." Raidon continued to glare. "Well? Aren't you satisfied?"

"Is this the kind of life a pilot here leads?" he asked. "If this is why my brother has been so miserable, I swear, Major, no amount of violence will ever do justice."

"Didn't you hear me?" Misato shouted. "It's done! The apartment is spic and span, everything's handled. Okay?"

Ikari jerked his head to the right, focusing his eyes on another subject. The major simply scowled, unable to find a way to reach him. If she spoke, she would lose the battle. Negotiation, whether it be a car sale, or hostage rescue, indicated which was the party being controlled by which person spoke first. Those who tried to budge the other party, those who had to struggle to convince the other side to speak were automatically doomed to fail.

Four minutes passed until Misato spoke. "What do you want?"

"What do you know of my origins?" Raidon asked. "What do you know about Unit-Alpha, and this grand design of my mother's?" Katsuragi refused to answer. "Well? What do you know about it?"

"I'm just the operations director," Misato explained, folding her arms. "The only thing I know is what the commander, Technical Division One, and what the pilots tell me."

"So, you're the higher reasoning to the desires and the senses," the Sixth Child grinned. "Interesting how your role clashes so well with your character."

Misato growled, and walked to the edge of the room, reaching for the door. "When you decide to cooperate, we can talk about this stunt you tried to pull with Alpha, and how we're going to handle this psychological exam coming up." The woman didn't have to look at the boy to notice his body twitch. "Yeah, who would have guessed I was willing to help you."

"Why?" Raidon grumbled.

"Because you're a pilot," Misato explained. "I don't have to care about you, like you, or otherwise respect you. But what I do need is to know that if you can perform, the assets under my command are fully capable of carrying out my orders."

"I wonder what Shinji thinks-"

The boy felt a fist hammer into his gut, sending him rolling off the bed onto the hard laminated floor. "Shinji is far more human than you ever will be!" she hissed. The reaction Misato was going for didn't quite come about. Instead of a physically induced realization, the boy just seemed to chuckle as his body twitched in pain. "As far as I'm concerned, you can't possibly be his twin."

"Q-uite correct, Major," Raidon hissed as he clenched at his gut. As the door closed, and the major strode away, Raidon began to think about the differences between them. "A boy and a weapon," he murmured to no one in particular. "Nice family, Mom..."

-----------------

A week had passed, and the package delivered on that dreadful day was still sitting in the entry way closet. Misato looked at the box again as she hung up her flight jacket, thinking back to the boy. She had just received a call earlier that morning from the Ikaris, wondering why they hadn't heard anything from their grandson. The conversation did not go well.

"What do you mean he's been imprisoned?" the woman over the speakerphone shrieked.

"We'll do whatever it takes to get to you, Ms. Katsuragi," the man threatened, "if you do not release our son immediately!"

What followed was a long, drawn out phone call that took two hours out of Misato's new routine. Fortunately, she had managed to get her newly started morning jog out of the way, her breathing coming more easily over the last few sessions down the residential district. "All I can tell you is that the decision will be made today," she explained. "The situation... it's out of my hands."

There was a long pause, then "What about Shinji?" the woman asked.

Katsuragi shuddered. The injuries were slowly healing, but with three pilots, no, three of her children still in casts, her opinion of the boy's condition was not well. "There was a fight," Misato tried to explain with care. "Shinji and one of the other students... there was an argument, and a few blows exchanged."

The old man sighed. "How bad?"

"Shinji can walk, but Asuka... she's still limping around."

There was another long pause. "We've started to file paperwork two days ago," the man explained. "Shinji and Raidon are coming back to us." Misato would have expressed serious concern, had she not known NERV's authority overrode the Japanese government. "We're going to fight for custody regardless of what it takes."

"Mr. and Mrs. Ikari, I can't begin to describe-"

"Save your speech for someone who cares about Rokubungi's fake war."

In the back of her mind, Misato felt a scorching ache build. These conspiracy nuts claiming the Angels were fake had started not too long after the first attack on Tokyo-3. However, it never stopped phasing her. Every time she heard another person blurt out how the data was obviously faked, how computer effects were added to stock footage, or the loss of life was actually the result of targeted killings from people who knew too much, it made the woman's blood boil.

Hearing it from the Ikaris just made it worse.

"Well, maybe if you spoke to the refugees who keep flooding into your own city, perhaps you would have a different opinion," the major expressed in her most courteous tone, before slamming the receiver down into the cordless base station.

She looked again at the package in the entry way closet when her cellphone rang, and recognized the number as belonging to Ritsuko. "It's over," the blonde explained. "Come pick up Raidon before I strangle him."

As the woman walked down to her Renault, she fiddled with the package before setting it in the passenger seat.

-----------------

"You understand what this means, don't you, Pilot?" Gendo asked, standing next to the Sixth Child. The young Ikari just stared at the holograms of the black towering blocks which formed the members of SEELE. The boy's hands were locked in restraints, but otherwise he wore his normal attire. "Well?"

"Don't push it, Rokubungi," Raidon growled.

"Raidon Ikari," SEELE-06 bgan. "Your father has taken great pains to ensure your sentencing was quite lenient. Do you truly wish to test our patience?"

Raidon snarled. "Because it's _so much_ fun."

"Get him out of here, Ikari," SEELE-01 commanded. "Just pray there are enough opportunities remaining to prove your loyalty, Pilot."

As the commander dragged the Child out by his restrained wrists, he whispered into the boy's ear. "You're making this harder for Shinji," he explained. "If you truly know what you are, then you know why Yui created you, and how precious he is to her."

"...And you?" Raidon asked.

Gendo simply glared back in annoyance. "Fatherhood is something I cannot afford to supply Shinji, not as long as you refuse your place." The commander slowly inserted the key, and released the restraints.

"My place," Raidon stressed, "is to live for myself, and only myself." He watched as Gendo snarled. "If mankind wants to destroy themselves, let them, so long as they leave me out of it."

"Unfortunately, the scenario is not something you can outrun." Gendo simply watched as the construct walked away. "You understand that, don't you? You can't solve this type of problem!"

"Then I'll have to _eliminate_ it," the Sixth scowled, feeling his right hand clench and release instinctively as he walked towards Ritsuko Akagi, along with the one condition of his release.

-----------------

Misato sighed, walking up to the boy as he strode out of the hospital room. She noticed the boy had an odd bandage covering his right forearm, and couldn't recall the injury associated with it. However, that was not an issue at the moment. What was important was getting Raidon away from NERV, and waiting for the council's decision. "Are you happy with yourself?" Misato asked.

Raidon scratched at his forearm. "Not so much," Ikari replied. "...Should have taken the consolation prize." he stumbled for a moment, catching himself on the nearby wall before he could hit the floor. Misato was at his side instantly, but the Sixth Child held up his left hand. "I'm fine," he answered, his voice unusually slow as he forced himself to stand.

Misato's officer training took over without warning, her senses studying the boy's condition. It only took a fraction of a second to come to the necessary conclusion. "Truth serum?" she asked.

"Among other things," Raidon said, scratching his right arm again. He shot the woman a look before she could comment. "You're going to tell me not to scratch, aren't you?"

"It will just get infected if you do."

"Gee, thanks Ma," the boy grumbled. However, it did not quite get the reaction the boy nor the woman were hoping for. Misato was here, regardless of how the situation had degraded, or how he treated her. Why was she here? Why did she seemingly care? Misato stared at the boy for the longest time, a mix of anger and concern on her face. Sighing, the boy just explained. "It's part of my arrnaged release."

Katsuragi raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Instead, she threw her flight jacket over the boy's shoulders, and helped him up. "Your grandparents called," she started. "They think they can take custody from me."

"Well, that will prove interesting."

"They also mailed you something," she added. "They sent it a week ago, but-"

Ikari looked at her. "Don't worry about it."

"Well, your attitude has certainly changed."

Raidon rubbed at his arm instinctively once again. "Yeah," he grumbled. "Trust me, it won't last." Then, another thought struck his mind. "We need to check on that Ayanami girl."

-----------------

The apartment was dilapidated, far from being safe or sanitary for someone trusted with the survival of mankind. Of course, from an odd perspective, Misato thought, it was the perfect place. No one would expect someone with her responsibilities and ties to the state to be here. Even if they came looking, the harsh environment could be used to explain away any inconsistencies that might arise.

"Sometimes, I really hate that man," Raidon sighed, walking cautiously by the used needles and protruding rebar of the decaying concrete structure. he didn't have to look back to know Misato was thinking along the same lines. Apartment 402 was not much further, only a few meters down the walkway. Approaching, the Sixth Child knocked three times, paused, and listened to the response.

Footsteps, followed by a dark silhouette visible through the peephole of the door signaled the occupant's arrival. Cautiously, the door handle was turned, and the metal surface moved inward on it's hinges. "Ikari, Major Katsuragi," Rei answered, nodding her head in recognition of their physical forms. However, she did not allow them inside. There was a long pause.

Raidon took a moment to look over the girl, and noted the slung right arm in the cast. "How are you feeling?"

"I am recovering at an acceptable rate," the girl answered, turning to look away from the pair. She seemed almost uncomfortable. Misato had her suspicions, but it was Ikari who acted upon them first. Following the girl's gaze to the direction of more insignificant, corroding materials, the Sixth Child decided to end the silence.

"Something is wrong, isn't it?" Raidon asked.

"It is of no concern," Rei answered.

"I think it is," the boy replied.

"Discussing this subject will simply result in further distrust amongst the chain of command."

"You aren't very good at keeping secrets, are you, Ayanami?" Raidon asked. "What is it?"

Rei looked almost pleadingly at Katsuragi, avoiding all eye contact with Raidon.

"Raidon," Misato breathed. "Why don't you go see what's in that package? I left it in the car for you."

"Something is wrong here, Katsuragi," Ikari answered.

Yes, the woman thought. Something was wrong, but she wasn't going to learn what it was with the second Ikari butting in. "As operations director, that's my problem, not yours," she explained. "Just head back to the car." The boy grumbled, but slowly walked away. Once out of earshot, the woman turned back to the First Child. "Okay Rei, what is it?"

Rei Ayanami glanced at her cellphone, the red light blinking occasionally to indicate a new voicemail awaiting her. She was unaware of her specific orders, but she could hazard some guesses. "It is nothing, Major Katsuragi," the girl lied, forcing her face to remain perfectly rigid. Misato sighed, and slowly walked away.

As she closed the door behind her, Rei clenched her fists tightly, slowly walking towards the cellphone. Flipping the clamshell design open, she toggled the necessary key sequence, awaiting the new message. She visibly cringed, and set the phone down, terminating the connection.

Staring out the dusty window of her pale, dreary apartment, she noticed Shinji's replacement turning to Misato, and holding a package in his hands. "Cain," she muttered. "That... that is what you must be." Glancing back to the corner of the apartment, she once again examined the black plastic case, knowing what she would find in it.

Killing Angels, apparently, was not her sole function any longer.

End of Chapter X

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